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A BRIEF 

EXAMINATION 

or 

ASA RAND'S BOOK, 

GALLED A « WORD IN SEASON f 

WITH A 

REFUTATION 

OF SOME OF HIS 

ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS AND CHARGES AGAINST 
THE PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS; 

"WHEREBY 

HIS WORK WILL APPEAR OUT OF SEASON* 



BY SAMUEL F. HUSSEY, 



Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye hare eternal 
life, and they are they which testify of me, John v. 39. 

But there is a spirit in man. and the inspiration of the Almighty 
giveth them understanding. Job xxxii. 8. 

i 



SALEM : 

PRINTED BY THOMAS C. CVSHLfO. 
1821. 






V. 



H« 



INTRODUCTION 



!T may be proper to inform (he reader that the con- 
troversy which has given rise to the following essay 
was originated by Asa Rand, a professed minister of the 
gospel, in Gorham, Maine, who, not content with per- 
forming the duties of such an office (if indeed he is 
qualified, and is sensible of what his duties are) volun- 
tarily stepped aside and attacked and grossly misrep- 
resented the principles and practice of his innocent and 
unoffending neighbours. This he did in two sermons 
which were published in the year 1817. Such parts 
of them as related to the society of Friends, and which 
were deemed worthy of any notice, were replied to by 
Edward Cobb, in a small tract published soon after. 
Since which, Hand has made a feint at rejoining to 
Cobb's remarks; which however he has touched but 
very slightly. Instead of which, he has branched 
out in anew publication calling in question the prin. 
ciples and practices of this society much more exten« 
sively ; and in doing it has added misrepresentation to 
misrepresentation. 

To clear the principles and practices of this society 
so far as he has attempted to implicate them, is the de- 
sign of the following sheets. How far this is done the 
candid reader is left to judge. 

It may not be amiss however briefly to state, that 
this writer has endeavoured to impugn the tenets of 
this society in these particulars. A want of giving due 
credence to the Holy Scriptures. To their disuse of 



outward ordinances. To their undervaluing the char- 
acter and office of Jesus Christ. To their professed 
belief in a divine principle immediately operating* upon 
the human heart. To their not holding to the resur- 
rection of the body, and to their not being correct in 
•their belief in the necessity of repentance and regener- 
ation. He has also suggested that they do not explicitly 
hold to future rewards and punishments. All of which, 
as well as others not enumerated, have been the 
themes of former adversaries, and have been repeatedly 
and it is believed effectually an^vered by our prede- 
cessors in the same faith. 

It was more excusable in those, who, in the early 
part of the existence of our society, made these invid- 
ious attacks, because, those vindications and explicit 
statements of our principles, which have since been so 
fully made, were not then before the public : but that 
they should be reiterated and again retailed out by Asa 
Rand, who might and ought to have known that they 
had been refuted more than a century ago, is just cause 
of regret as well as animadversion. 

Friendly Reader, It may be thought that I have 
treated him with too much asperity; but whatever ex- 
cess of feeling I may appear to have indulged, I am 
persuaded, whoever reads his publication, will be satis- 
fied that I had much to suppress, and will therefore 
mike proper allowances, for had I suppressed more 
I might have have felt myself guilty of what I have im- 
puted to him, viz. fallacious pretences, in undertak- 
ing to give his performance the colour of a " friendly 
debate," and then filling it with unnecessary imputa- 
tions and sarcasms ; such as " the holy duty of 'quak- 
ing/ pretended new revelation?," &c. &c. besides the 



indelicacy he has aimed at others, as I presumed not 
connected with Friends, and which I have therefore 
passed without much notice. I have also passed un- 
noticed much extraneous matter for brevity sake that 
might be considered as applied to them. After these 
remarks I submit it to the reader for a candid perusal. 

It was not my original intention to publish the follow- 
ing work, but on submitting it to the inspection of some 
of my friends with a view to a limited circulation ia 
manuscript, they encouraged me to lay it before the 
public ; and it now appears with some alterations of 
the original manuscript and the addition of further ex- 
tracts from the writings of some t of our ancient 
friends, &c. 

SAMUEL F, HUSSEY, 



I* 



A 

BRIEF EXAMINATION, $c. 

CHAPTER I. 

Miscellaneous Remarks op the first and second chapter of 
the " Vindication." 
Soon after Rand's publication, I had an opportunity 
of perusing and observing the unjust and illiberal insinu- 
ations it contains, even in his introduction, where he 
presumes to insinuate the neglect of the scriptures as 
a consequence of the belief that God is able and does 
condescend to teach his people himself, agreeably to 
Christ's promise, " they that seek shall find," saying, 
M if ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts 
unto your childrea, how much more shall your heaven- 
lv father give the holy spirit to them that a?k him." 
Luke xi. 13. I have no design of doing more than 
to notice some of the inconsistencies and errors in his 
publication. 1 shall not attempt a thorough investiga- 
tion of all I esteem such, as that would require an ex- 
tensive volume. 

First. 1 would ask any person of common under- 
standing if he can believe in his flattering pretensions, 
that, "he would not, even in his own vindication, as a 
minister of Christ, state any thing to the disadvantage 
of others, farther than appears fully necessary ; and I 
would not in this connection bring any thing into view 
which might prevent friends or others who may read 



these pa^es from looking at principles with calm and 
unprejudiced winds." And this after stating, "That if 
friend Cobb had known what pains his brethren in this 
town had taken to introduce their preachers and prin- 
ciples among the people who attend on my ministry, I 
am persuaded he would not have made the above re- 
mark ;" but he says, u 1 feel strongly tempted to state 
some facts on this subject, but I forbear." What could 
he have stated more to the disadvantage of Cobb's 
brethren, than his forbearance would imply ? or what 
could they have been guilty of, that may not be 
conjectured from his suggestions ? 

Perhaps he may think it very respectful language 
when he denominates what they think they practise 
from principle, mere notion ; but it would not be very 
strange if some others should think it an arrogant as- 
sumption, who believe them the requisitions of the 
Holy Scriptures, which he contends is his only rule. 
I think his fears may be easily dispensed with unless he 
can shew that a system has been adopted that has pro- 
duced more salutary effects than that of the Quakers. 
Although he seems bound to acknowledge that many 
good fruits are evident, and appears unable to designate 
any evil ones, yet unwilling to judge them by his only 
rule, u by their fruits ye shall know them,' he sets 
about judging them from his fears and apprehensions, 
attributing to them a distorted system of religion, with- 
out shewing- any evil fruits produced by that distortion, 
and this statement he says " he has felt moved to make 
before he proceeds," &c. Let any candid reader judge 
by what spirit he has been moved to publish all these 
evil fears and apprehensions without shewing that any 
ot the fruits he apprehends have yet been produced,. 



or may probably grow out of the Quaker system, after 
an experiment of nearly two centuries. However 
dangerous he may conclude the system to be, the so- 
ciety will hardly think it safe to suffer themselves to be 
so much alarmed by his presumptions as to abandon it ; 
especially since he himso.lf acknowledges it has done so 
much at least as to produce good fruits; and since the 
system also claims all the benefits the Bible can furnish, 
and also the influence of the truth as H is in Jesus. 

As respects his reply to E. Cobb, ir is needless for me 
to follow and combat all his opinions of scripture and 
declarations of his belief. Were I to vindicate Friends' 
belief as respects baptism, after all he has said and 
written, I should call on him (Rand) for scripture evi- 
dence of what he endeavours to enforce as his belief. 
I should ask him what authority he has to judge of 
what is the most proper way of expressing church fel- 
lowship, since so many (perhaps equally as capable as 
he either in a spiritual or temporal sense) have believ- 
ed, that they have enjoyed it as fully and as satisfactorily 
as he ever has, without any of those outward signs, «r 
without paying any man for the purpose of breaking 
outward bread to them, and especially such men as we 
have no re ason to believe would continue to administer 
this supposed comfort to them any longer than the mon- 
ey held out to pay them for it : so that an end of money 
would be an end of the communion with the poet 
church that depends on that kind cf communion, 



CHAPTER IF. 

R "narks on Water Baptism. 
I would notice (in Chap. 3d, . c ect. i) he says, " they 
argue" (meaning the Quakers) "that because John bap- 
tised with water, and predicted that Christ should come 
and baptise with the Spirit, therefore Christ or his dis- 
ciples did not baptise with water." This will appear 
without foundation, from his own testimony in pag^e 16 
of his work, where he says, " and Barclay has no way 
of avoiding the doctrine of water baptism, in view of 
such plain assertions of the sacred writers, only by say- 
ing the apostles were under a mistake, or at most did it 
of permission, on account of existing circumstances." 
And thus it may appear he is not very careful of what 
he asserts ; or he would not thus charge Barclay with 
what he does not say, and furnish testimony against him- 
seff, for the fact is, they have never doubted but that 
the disciples did baptise with water ; but they say it 
was not the gospel baptism and they never had Christ's 
command for it, neither had they his precepts, unless 
we may be permitted to add the water, to every test 
where Christ mentions baptising. He (Rand) says, 
44 Barclay, as. well as others, have brought forward a 
part of the passages, where water baptism is mention- 
ed, but explains them so as to coincide with a precon- 
ceived opinion, that there is no such thing." But it 
will be found by any one that reads Barclay (see apolo- 
gy, prop. 12th) that he admits all the scriptures say on 
the subject literally, but he does not admit of the addi- 
tion of zoater, to Christ's commands ; and unless that is 
admitted, it must depend on opinion only, whether 
Christ enjoined it oa others. 



10 

Rand says, " they reason the ordinance away, be- 
cause it is not sufficient for salvation." He however 
immediately puts the necessity of it entirely out of the 
question, for he says, u We all know that spiritual bap- 
tism or sanc'afication is alone that holiness without 
which we cannot see God." Now who is so unwise as 
to think that that which alone is sufficient, has need of 
another to aid it ? Again he says, " but as a means God 
surely may adopt whatever he pleases, and can make it 
useful," This I readily admit, but still the evidence is 
wanting to prove that he did: and I think it always 
will be wanting in this case, if Rand's position is correct, 
that the spiritual baptism alone is sufficient, and that 
alone which will enable us to see God. Because if it 
was our Saviour's mission to bring in everlasting right- 
eousneis in lieu of those ordinances, and outward wash- 
ing-, that were not sufficient to bring us to God, it is 
not likely he would adopt others equally insufficient, af- 
ter abolishing the old: and, besides there being no water 
mentioned by our Saviour, I believe it can no where be 
found that the disciples or apostles ever asserted that 
they did it from Christ's command to use water, or in 
following the directions in the commission, Matt, xxviii. 
For it may be observed that even Peter used this query; 
11 Can any man forbid water '?" &c. Would he have 
queried any thing about it if he had been sure of his 
Lord's command for it? It ought also to be remember- 
ed that there did not appear to be that stress laid upon 
the use of it in the apostles days, as has been since, and 
still continues to be : I very much doubt whether a 
minister in these days, conducting as the apostle Paul 
did, would be esteemed quite orthodox. It seems he 
baptised but very few with water, and thanked God he 



11 

had done no more, from a conclusion that he had noth- 
ing of it in his commission. And however many may 
have found satisfaction in it in modem times, it appears 
those churches that depended on Paul as their minister 
were deprived of it, unless they could have it through 
the help of some other. How can we account for 
Paul's conduct in having so little to do with water bap- 
tism? But Paul performed the office of a minister of 
Jesus Christ to the churches without much of it, altho' 
he did not censure others, who thought they had a, com- 
fort in it. 

Perhaps the Quakers may think their opponent 
might be kind enough to allow them as much indulgence 
as the other apostles did the apostle Paul ; for it ought 
to be observed that the} 7 censure none for the practice 
of it, who believe it a duty enjoined on them. I admit 
tvhat he says, p. 17, u that there were divers washings 
in the temple service,'' but they were ordinances, and 
so is this. Then I would ask who has given him or 
any other authority to retain this and exclude the oth- 
er. Until he shew this, I see no reason why it should 
not be left abolished with all the rest; yet if any choose 
to retain it, let them do so ; but pray let it be attribu- 
ted to its right father, viz. John. John very explicitly 
tells us the difference between his and Christ's baptism. 
* I indeed baptise you with water" (Matt. iii. 11.) and 
then expressly tells them in the same verse, that Christ's 
taptism should be of a different nature, viz. " with the 
Holy Ghost and with fire." 

It seems to me that this dispute might safely end, 
without further altercation, since it is admitted that spi- 
ritual baptism alone is sufficient ; and by that alone we 
can see God : now that which alone is sufficient, needs 
no companion to aid it 



12 

1 shall now take notice of the Scripture passages he 
has quoted merely to shew that so far as they are our 
Saviour's commands, they say nothing al out water. 
His first is Matt, xxviii.19. but it saith nothing aboui wa- 
ter ; and John iii. 22. here neither is any thine: said 
about water, and chap. iv. 2. says, u though Jesus 
himself baptised not, but his disciples." Peter said, 
4t Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name 
of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall 
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost*" Acts ii. 38. He 
then says, " read this according to Quaker construc- 
tion," repent and receive the spirit and ye shall receive 
the gift of the spirit." 

I conceive no person of serious observation will think 
there is much ingenuity in this construction. The 
name of the Lord Jesus here, is not a mere sound, but 
by his name here is meant, his power, and then the 
passage would read thus ; repent and be baptised in or 
into the power of the Lord Jesus, and ye shall receive 
the gift of the Holy Ghost ; which construction I sub- 
mit to the candid reader and leave i ? . 

This, with the foregoing, is the doings of the apostle 
Peter. I never heard that the Quakers denied that the 
apostles baptised with water until Rand asserted it in 
his publication, which however he soon confutes by his 
quotation from Barclay, as has b^pn noticed. But the 
matter in debate is, did their Lord command water? 
Since there is no scripture proof for it hut by construc- 
tion, and since it is conceded that Christ's spiritual 
baptism alone is sufficirnt without it, and with that alone 
we mav be -brought to see God, ! do no: see the neces- 
sity of believing be ever did command it. He quote* 
Acts viii. 13. " Then ^idtfon himself believed also, and 



13 

when he was baptised he continued with Philip," &C. 
But he says, " surely this Simon soon evinced, that he 
had not received the spiritual baptism ;* and how did 
he evince it? why, by the same disposition that many 
in our day evince that they have neither part nor lot in 
the things that belong to the gospel, viz. by supposing 
that it was to be purchased by money (as in verse 18) 
and if so, it might be sold again, an error into which, it 
is not uncharitable to suppose, many have fallen. From 
this cause originates so many dry nurses in the churches 
in our day. It is also an evidence of the inutility of 
that kind of baptism he had received. Acts ix. 18, and 
xvi. 15, 33. and xviii. 8. and Cor. i. 13. &c. &c. and also, 
Acts viii. 36, 33. and x. 44 and 47, may all be examined, 
and they will only shew that the apostles did baptise, 
which the Quakers never disputed, but the question is, 
did Christ command the practice of it ? If not, and his 
baptism is complete without it (as confessed by Rand) 
what need of any farther contention about it? He 
again repeats, in page 16, u we readily agree there is 
but one effectual or saving baptism,-' (and no where 
suggests that this may not be attained to without the 
second) and freely confesses that it is not water that 
washes the filthiness of the flesh or unholy nature. But 
he says, u I must notice one other mistake of Barclay, 
though I find none in the apostles on the subject.'" 
Barclay siys (page 424) " The gospel puts an end to 
carnal ordinances." I do not know in what Barclay's 
mistake consists, seeing he only there quotes the words 
of the apostle verbatim, as may be seen, Heb. ix. 10. 
But after all that has been said, I very well know that 
the doctrine of water baptism, and the Lord ? s supper, 
are very popular doctrines through all Christendom, by 



14 

numerous denominations, and all professing to practice 
thorn, according a* Ibey judge them to be commanded in 
the scriptures, which they profess to adhere to. as their 
only rule of faith and practice, as strongly as Asa Rand 
does. They also bold them as the band of communion, 
but from time immemorial have been contending Call 
having their only rule before them) even to the shed- 
ding each other's blood. They still continue so to dif- 
fer about the mode of administering these ordinances 
that there are not many of them that can commune to- 
gether. If I should admit that those ordinances were 
intended to be continued, unto whom should 1 apply to 
administer them with any certainty that they would do 
it according to the rule intended ? seeing there are so 
many ways contended for, each maintaining that they 
administer according to scripture. 

When I take these things into consideration, I see no 
reason why they should be very anxious to draw us in- 
to their views, as, should we enter with them, the chance 
is at least an hundred to one, that we should be in the 
wrong ; seeing that if any one, is right, it can be but one 
among the numerous ordinance professors. Charity 
leads to believe that there ought to be no preference of 
any one of those ordinance professors over another, but 
that all work equally honest according to their under- 
standing of their only rule. No one therefore has a 
right to arrogate to himself an indisputable certainty 
that he fully understands it. I presume the case with 
them is, that although they have chosen a good rule, yet 
the} have rejected a leading point belonging to that rule; 
as if a person should procure a scale, to work propor- 
tions by, but should obliterate the radius point: it 
would be of little use to him, he hiving lost the point 



15 

to take proportions from. Whatever he did must of 
course be erroneous or mere guess work. Thus I fear 
and believe it is with those that have taken the scrip- 
tures for their only rule of faith and practice, and reject 
the spirit by which the scriptures are to be rightly un- 
derstood. They have lost their radius point, and are 
left to guess the meaning of the scriptures. Hence the 
many divisions and distractions that perplex the Christ- 
ian world, for undoubtedly the scriptures mean the 
same thing, to every one that seeks to and does rightly 
understand them. 



CHAPTER III. 

Remarks upon the u LorcPs Supper" and " Holy 
Sabbath." 

Of the "Lord's Supper"— I only say I think the be- 
lievers in it might better agree among themselves, and 
decide the great question of constibstantiation and 
transubstantiation. — If it is not the real body and 
blood of Christ that is partaken of, then it is not what 
Christ commanded., — If it is really his flesh and blood, 
Protestants are denying the truth, and consequently 
must be very wrong on that score. They might there- 
fore let others alone. If it is not what the Catholics 
say it is, then Protestants are not partaking of what 
Christ commanded. 

Of the " Holy Sabbath, or Lord's Day,"— I see no 
new light on the subject, except reducing eight to 
seven; of his right to which I doubt; and think 
Cobb has done enough to convince any rational 
person that Christ did nothing to sanction a belief that 



10 

he held one day more holy than another. I feel how- 
ever no objection to people's keeping holy time. If he 
that keeps one day holy does well, he that keeps seven 
does better: and as men are not keeping time unless 
they are doing their duty, their attention to the requir- 
ed duties of life is no encroachment on holy time : 
therefore all time ought to be and might be kept holy. 
If any have a desire to know our reasons further for 
dispensing with the use of the elements, or our views 
respecting the first day of the week, they may find 
them pretty fully stated in Barclay's Apology, as well 
as many other Friends' writings. 



CHAPTER IV. 
I shall consider in this chapter Rand's remarks on 
the subjects of human depravity, the incarnation of 
Christ and his atonement ; and shall, as Rand has done, 
consider them separately. 

Section 1. 
Of Depravity. 

On this subject Rand dwells with great satisfaction. 
He appears to be so enamoured of it, that he charges 
the Quakers with heterodoxy because they believe that 
man has means provided by a merciful God, if he but 
believe and obey, by which he might escape out of this 
horrible pit. 

The reader will observe, by turning to his 27th page, 
that this writer, in his sermons answered by Edward 
Cobb, charged the society of Friends amongst other 
things with denying total depravity. To which Cobb 
replied, by quoting Barclay to show our sentiments up- 



17 

i>n that subject ; upon which quotation Rand makes the 
following admissions, page 28, u I need not repeat 
Friend Cobb's quotation from Barclay (obs. p. 14, 17. 
Apol. 96,99.) I acknowledge it is full to the point which 
I have said they allow, viz. that man is totally deprav- 
ed as he stands in the fall. I allow too there is much 
more to the same point in Barclay and several other 
writers. This I knew before I preached my sermons; 
but this we have seen is not believing depravity, if, at 
the same time, they believe that mankind have the 
seed of God, or love of God, restored to them. That 
they do so believe, I will now prove." Barclay had in 
a his preceding proposition maintained that mankind had 
measure of saving divine light given to them, by which, 
if believed in and submitted unto, they might know a 
deliverance from this state of death and darkness, and 
be led into the light of the Lord : that there is a 
day of visitation afforded to every man, in which, if ke 
resists not, but humbles himself and repents, he may 
be saved. But Rand says, page 27th, " they mean 
(alluding to the Quakers) " as nearly as I can ascertain^ 
that mankind became corrupt by the fall of Adam, but 
are now, even all of them restored, so that all men have 
a holy principle of love of God in them." A want of 
candour in any man, with whom we have dealings in 
the common affairs of life, makes it unpleasant and un- 
safe to have those concerns to adjust ; and stamps his 
character with an unfavourable impression wherever he 
is known. But in a professed minister of religion, and 
in things relating to the knowledge of God and the best 
interests of our souls, it is disagreeable and unseemly 
beyond expression. How could this man, after having 

read the statements onlv, made by Edward Cobb, and 

2* 



18 



the extracts which he published, if he had exercised 
common candour, have attempted to have imposed up- 
on his readers, such an incoherent mass as he has done, 
as constituting the belief of the society of Friends ? 
In doing which, he has added insult to injury, by telling 
what they mean, not what they say. But it is still 
more extraordinary, after his further admissions, that 
he has read a number of their standard authors, who 
have professedly treated upon those subjects. How 
could he so pervert the plain and positive meaning of 
Barclay, as when Barclay says, " Whatever good any 
man doeth, it proceedeth not from his nature as he is 
man or the son of Adam ; but from the seed of God in 
him as a new visitation of life, in order to bring him 
out of his natural condition, so that though it be in him 
it is not of him." Rand says, " This clearly implies 
that man doeth some good thing, smd that the seed of 
God is in him as a new visitation of life to produce it." 
Certainly no such implication follows from Barclay's 
words. Does it follow, that, because whatever good 
any man doeth proceedeth not from his own nature, 
therefore man doeth some good thing ? Or that all 
men do some good thing, as he would have his readers 
believe from what he remarks following, when he says, 
that " the proposition from which this extract is taken, 
is entitled, p. 94, u Concerning the condition of man in 
the fall," and begins thus, " All Adam's posterity, both 
Jews and Gentiles," &c. Does it follow from thence, that 
all that is spoken of any man, in the course of the propo- 
sition, is to be construed to have this extensive signifi« 
cation ? I confess it is a new idea to me, that a 
general signification given to a word in a title to 
a book or proposition, is to be attached to that 



19 

word, throughout the book or proposition. Hand 
has attempted to force this idea upon his readers, 
and no doubt the better to answer his purpose, has 
substituted in his extract the words, " Whatever 
good a man doeth," &c. instead of the words, "whatev- 
er good any man doeth," &c. as it stands in Barclay. I 
would gladly attribute this substitution to accident ; but 
when I see the use, to which he has turned it, in order 
to make the words appear to have a general significa- 
tion, I cannot avoid attributing it to a design to misrep- 
resent. 

I have said that the Quakers believe in the universal- 
ity of the love of God to man, so far that he freely of- 
fers to them the means of salvation. But is the provi- 
ding of- them with the means by which they might be 
restored, on the condition of faith and obedience, an ab- 
solute restoration of them? — The Lord by his spirit 
strove with the old world, but did this actually restore 
them? Did he not, because of their disobedience to the 
strivings of his spirit with them, swallow them up in the 
deluge ? He gave of his good spirit to instruct the Is- 
raelites, Neh. ix. 10. yet because they rebelled against 
him and vexed his Holy Spirit, therefore he was turn- 
ed to be their enemy, and fought against them, Isaiah 
lxiii. 10. It was not inconsistent with the wisdom and 
goodness of God to give them of his Spirit, although 
through their disobedience it did not restore them, nor 
preserve them in his fear. Our blessed Lord declarer, 
that the office of the Comforter, or spirit of truth, is to 
convince the world of sin, (and undoubtedly it does its 
office) ; but it does not follow from thence, that all 
who are thus convinced, are restored and saved, or have 
a portion of <c God's holy moral image" in them, God 



20 

so loved the world that he gave his only hegotten Son 
that whosoever believed on him should not perish but 
have everlasting life. But it does not follow, that in 
consequence of this great love of God to every man, 
the world have all believed, and been restored to the 
favour of God. The apostle asserts, that the grace of 
God, which brings salvation, has appeared to all men ; 
but it does not from thence follow, that all are restored 
and saved, or have a portion of God's moral image. — 
Neither does the failure in effecting restoration and sal- 
vation in either of the instances recited, nor yet in any 
others to which the scriptures bear testimony, in any 
measure invalidate the certainty of those offers having 
been made; nor yet of their having been intended to 
have effected the restoration and salvation of all those 
to whom they were or are graciously offered. His al- 
legations upon the subject, and his attempts to impose 
meanings upon the Quakers which have no connection 
with their principles or belief, may be justly construed 
to implicate the Divine Being and his servant the apos- 
tle in the instances before recited, and indeed in any 
other instances of an import tending to show the univer- 
sality of the love of God to man. 

The Quakers neither say nor believe any thing upon 
this subject contrary to the testimonies of the Holy 
Scriptures. But Rand says, u the question is, what is 
man V 9 I answer, he is just what it pleases the divine 
will to make of him through faith and obedience to the 
teachings of his Holy*Spirit : or what his disobedience 
to its sacred influence and teachings leaves him to be. 
If the former, he becomes restored to the divine favour, 
and is under the divine government of grace ; but if the 
latter, he continues a poor, fallen, depraved creature. 



21 

notwithstanding the grace of God which brings salvation 
has appeared unto him, and would, had he believed in 
it and obeyed it, have regenerated him, and taught him 
to have denied all ungodliness and the world's lusts, and 
to have lived soberly, righteously and godly in this 
present world. 

It will be seen by looking over Rand's book, from 
page 27 to 36, that, through the whole of them, he is 
only beating the air, raising phantoms through the 
workings of his own imaginations and invention, and 
fighting them with as much apparent zeal, as if he re- 
ally believed that those absurdities actually followed 
from the principles of the Quakers. He must know, 
they do not* and it is to be feared he is only endeavour- 
ing to impose upon his readers. 

If he was a candid man, he would have met the sub- 
ject upon its proper ground, and, instead of making 
meanings for the Quakers, he would have stated their 
tenets as they hold and explain them, and if he were 
opposed to them, would have shewn in what their sen- 
timents were unscriptural. This would have brought 
the present subject to this point. The Quakers be- 
lieve that man in his natural and fallen state is alienated 
from his maker : but that God, who delighteth not In 
the death of him that dieth, but that all should return, 
repent and live, hath afforded sufficient grace unto all, 
which if believed in and obeyed would lead to repent- 
ance, and by the washing of regeneration, and the re- 
newing of the holy ghost, effect their salvation. But 
if they reject this freely offered grace, they will abide 
in their sins, and condemnation will ensue, agreeable to 
the declaration of our blessed Lord, that this is the con- 
demnation, that light has come into the world, but men 



love darkness rather than light because their deeds are 
evil. But Rand denies the extension of this love and 
mercy beyond a certain limited pale. The Quakers 
hold that God works immediately, as well as instrument- 
ally ; that is, by his divine light, grace and truth, as 
well as by the scriptures and by his messengers and min- 
isters. Rand attempts to limit the Holy One of Israel 
by confining his provisions and workings, to enlighten, 
inform, redeem and save, to mere instrumentality; be- 
yond which he denies that there is any knowledge of 
God, of Christ, of the holy spirit, or of salvation, For 
although he would seem to admit that there is u an holy 
principle implanted in Christians by the grace of God," 
yet he insists that this is only consequent upon instru- 
mental means. 

I have said, the subject of human depravity is a sub- 
ject on which Rand delights to dwell. He confirms this 
in page 31, where he says, " I would now gladly prove 
at large that men are universally depraved — an humil- 
iating doctrine, but necessary to be known ; but my 
limits will allow only a brief attempt." If his limits 
hereafter should give him room to complete what 
seems so peculiarly agreeable to him, and which he 
would so u gladly" do, it will be necessary for him to 
remember, that it cannot either contribute to enlighten 
or to improve the world, to tell them they are univer- 
sally depraved, unless he can inform them how they can 
rise superior to this degradation and depravity, and es- 
cape the dreadful consequence which awaits its contin- 
ued dominion. Without it he cannot be one of those 
messengers alluded to by the prophet, and these un- 
doubtedly were the Lord's messengers, whose feet 



23 

were beautiful upon the mountains, having glad tidings 
of good to proclaim. 

In order farther to illustrate the subject and the 
Quakers' view respecting it I shall quote from Bar- 
clay's apclogy, page 153, as follows : " We understand 
not this seed, light, or grace, to be an accident, as most 
men ignorantly do, but a real spiritual substance, which 
the soul of man is capable to feel and apprehend, from 
which that real, spiritual, inward birth in believers 
arises, called the new creature, the new man in the 
heart. This seems strange to carnal minded men, be- 
cause they are not acquainted with it ; but we know it, 
and are sensible of it, by a true and certain experience. 
Though it be hard for man in his natural wisdom to 
comprehend it, until he come to feel it in himself; and 
if he should, holding it in the mere notion, it would 
avail him little ; yet we are able to make it appear to 
be true, and that our faith concerning it is not without 
a solid ground : for it is in and by this inward and sub- 
stantial seed in our hearts as it comes to receive nour- 
ishment, and to have birth or geniture in us, that we 
come to have those spiritual senses raised by which 
we are made capable of tasting, smelling, seeing, and 
handling the things of God : for a man cannot reach 
unto those things by his natural spirit and senses, as is 
above declared," 

" Next, we know it to be a substance, because it 
subsists in the hearts of wicked men, even while they 
are in their wickedness, as sh-all be hereafter proved 
more at large. Now no accident can be in a subject, 
without it give the subject its own denomination ; a3 
where whiteness is in a subject, there the subject it 



u 

called white. So we distinguish hetwixt holiness, as it 
h an accident, which denominates man so, as the seed 
receives a place in him, and betwixt the holy substan* 
tiaFseed, which many times lies in man's heart as a na- 
ked grain in the stony ground. So also as we may dis- 
tinguish betwixt health and medicine ; health cannot be 
in a body without the body be called healthful, because 
health is an accident, but medicine may be in a body 
that is most unhealthful, for that it is a substance. And 
as when a medicine begins to work, the body may in 
some respects be called healthful, and in some respects 
unhealthful, so we acknowledge as this divine medicine 
receives place in man's heart, it may denominate him 
in some part holy and good, though there remains yet a 
corrupted, unmortified part, or some part of the evil 
humours unpurged out; for where two contrary acci- 
dents are in one subject, as health and sickness in a 
body, the subject receives its denomination from the 
accident which prevails most. So many men are called, 
saints, good and holy men, and that truly, when this ho- 
ly seed hath wrought in them in a good measure, and 
hath somewhat leavened them into its nature, though 
they may be yet liable to many infirmities and weaknes- 
ses, yea and to some iniquities: for as the seed of sin 
and ground of corruption, yea and the capacity of yield- 
ing thereunto, and sometimes actually falling, doth not 
denominate a good and holy man impious ; so neither 
doth the seed of righteousness in evil men, and the pos^ 
sibility of their becoming one with it* denominate them 
good and holy." 

And again says Barclay, (page 162) "and lastly, this 
leads me to speak concerning the manner of this seed 
or light's operation in the hearts of all men, which will 



»hfew vet more manifestly how widely we differ from all 
those (hat exalt a natural power or light in man ; and 
liow our principle leads above all others to attribute 
*»;?r whole salvation to the mere power, spirit and grace 
of God." 

u To them that ask us after this manner, How do ye 
differ from the Pelagians and Arminians? For if two 
men have equal sufficient light and grace, and the one 
be saved by it, and the other not ; is it not because the 
one improves it, the other not? Is not then the will 
of man the cause of one's salvation beyond the other? 
1 say, to such we thus answer : That as the grace and 
light in all is sufficient to save all, and of its own nature 
would save all, so it strives and wrestles with all in order 
to save them ; he that resists its strivings, is the cause of 
his own condemnation ; he that resists it not, it becomes 
his salvation : so that in him that is saved, the working 
is of the grace, and not of the man ; and it is a passive- 
ness rather than an act ; though afterwards, as man is 
wrought upon, there is a will raised in him, by which 
he comes to be a co-worker with the grace ; for ac- 
cording to that of Augustine, He that made us without 
us, will not save us without us. So that the first step is 
not by man'$ working, but by his not contrary work- 
ing. And we believe, that at these singular seasons of ev- 
ery man's visitation abovementioned,as man is wholly un- 
able of himself to work with the grace, neither can he 
move one step out of the natural condition,until the grace 
lay hold of him, so it is possible for him to be passive, and 
not to resist it, as it is possible for him to resist it. So we 
say, the grace of God works in and upon man's nature ; 
which, though of itself wholly corrupted and defiled, and 
prone to evil, yet is capable to be wrought upon by the 



26 

*race of God; even as iron, though a hard and cold metal 
itself, may be warmed and softened by the heat of the 
tire, and wax melted by the sun. And as iron or wax, 
when removed from the fire or sun, returneth to its 
former condition of coklness and hardness ; so man's 
heart, as it resists or retires from the grace of God, re- 
turns to its former condition again." 

Rand says in his reply to Cobb, page 27, in describing 
what he means by human depravity — u That all man- 
kind are alienated from God, except penitent sinners, 
and such as are renewed by grace." I presume from 
what I know of Quaker principles they would not differ 
on this point; but if I understand him, Rand means to 
say that none but Christians have this grace. If so, does 
it not follow that they are Christians before they receive 
this grace ? if not, the Quaker doctrine is admitted, that 
God does give a measure of this grace, or spirit, even 
to depraved sinners, in order, if they attend to it, to 
renew them; for how can it renew them before they 
have it and obey it? The Apostle saith, Rom. ii. 4- or 
despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbear- 
ance, and long suffering; not knowing that the goodness 
of God leadeth thee to repentance? — and again, Rom. 
xi. 29. for the gifts and calling of God are without re- 
pentance. For myself, if I were to consider this de- 
pravity to extend to infants, so as to criminate them be- 
fore they arrive to a state of accountability, I should find 
•a difficulty in reconciling it to sccripture testimony ; as 
from that I am led to believe they are fit subjects for 
the kingdom of heaven; as I have the word of Christ 
for it : u And Jesus called a little child unto him and 
set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto 
you, except ye be converted, and become as little 
c5iiklren,ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.' 5 



SL7 

Matt, xviii. 2, 3. and Luke xviii. 15, 16, 17. " And they 
brought unto him also infants that he would touch them ; 
but his disciples saw it and rebuked them ; but Jesua 
called them unto him and said, Suffer little children to 
come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the 
kingdom of heaven." See also Mark x. 14. After 
reading this, I am satisfied that whatever depravity 
Adam brought on his posterity by his transgression, 
it was so far done away, by the coming and sacrifice 
of Christ, that men have much less need to fear its 
consequences than they have those they bring on them- 
selves by their own actual rebellion against that di- 
vine light and grace which is vouchsafed unto them 
for their salvation, if they obey it and work with it. 
From all the foregoing circumstances, and many others 
that might be named, I am satisfied in my own mind that 
this divine light or grace is given to every man in order 
to regenerate and bring him from a state of nature into 
a state of grace, as well as to redeem him out of that 
state of human depravity, into which he falls by diso- 
beying it ; for God undoubtedly is equal in all his ways ; 
and this accords well with that scripture — "And this is 
the condemnation, that light has come into the world, 
and men loved darkness rather than light because their 
deeds were evil." John iii. 19. By grace ye are 
saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is 
the gift of God. I conclude that it will not be con- 
tended that this grace and light are not one and the 
same thing. 

I shall now notice, that in page 33, he accuses the 
Quakers with misapplying scripture, because they ap- 
ply that text, 1 Cor . xii. 7. to any others besides those 
Paui had reference to as having spiritual gifts. But I 
shall conclude for myself that the misapplication is on 



his part, until he proves that every man has those gifts. 
For the text is expressly that it is " given to every man 
to profit withal," not only to every man that was a teach- 
er for the edification of the church. It becomes him 
therefore to make good his assertion, to prove every 
man a teacher, before he can justly charge the Quakers 
with misapplying the text. 1 should dispute his right to 
determine that a few teachers constituted every man ; 
nor do I conceive that his assertion, that Paul's epistles 
to the Corinthians were addressed to the righteous on- 
ly, is correct; for Paul's mission clearly appears to be 
to convert sinners, and epecially so in this epistle; for, 
observe the first and second verses of the third chapter : 
* And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto 
spiritual but as unto carnal — even as unto babes in 
Christ :" telling them plainly that they remained car- 
nal at that very time. Ver. 3. u For ye are yei carnal ; 
for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, 
and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ?" If 
I hai leisure to follow our opponent through all his 
charges against the Quakers, for misapplying scripture 
and perverting it, I should apprehend but little difficulty 
in shewing the defect to be on his part; and generally 
as clearly as in the present cases ; and I think with as 
much propriety, if not more, could say as he does, that 
hy such methods of applying scripture any thing he 
chose might be proved from it, or from the Bible. I 
cannot but notice his weakness (or perhaps it would 
bear a harsher name) when in page 34 he quotes Bar- 
clay speaking of the parable of the sower, and finds 
fault with him for saying, " That this saving light and 
seed, or a measure of it, is given to all," saying, " Christ 
tells us expressly in the parable of the sower, that this 
seed, sown in the several sorts of ground, is the word 



2$ 

of the kingdom which the Apostle calls the implanted, 
ingrafted word, which is alrle to save the soul. 1 ' And 
Rand says, after commenting on the efficacy of the word 
preached, &c. " I do not find that the Apostle ascribes 
this saving power in the word, in the hearts of any be- 
sides believers. Our Lord in the parable does not call 
it either implanted, or ingrafted, in either of the four 
cases he describes, except in the case of those who are 
represented by the seed sown in good ground." JSTow 
does he not mean to represent a difference in the seed 
sown ? because our Lord did not call it the implanted 
or ingrafted word, or because it did not bring forth 
equal fruit, in the different ground, or because he is not 
willing to admit it so, except in the good ground, as not 
answering his purpose so well. If so, I would have it 
observed, that our Lord tells his disciples plainly, " that 
this seed is the word of God." Luke viii. 11. And 
was not that the ingrafted word or word of equal pow- 
er, fall on what ground it would ? and if it was net the 
ingrafted word, I would ask him what word it was : for 
my part I am satisfied that the word or seed was the 
same in every ground j but the reason why it did not 
bring equal fruits was because the ground, viz. the 
hearts in which it fell, did not produce fruit, but re- 
jected it to their own destruction. 

In page 35 he talks about the awakening and convin- 
cing operations of the spirit, as though he was about to 
turn Quaker, but at other times we find him ridiculing* 
it as if believing in its operations on the mind was mere 
enthusiasm. But it is true he puts it in conjunction 
with the gospel, as if he did not know that the spirit* 
the gospel, and the power of our Lord and Saviour^ 
were inseparable ; but when he comes directly to the 



30 

point ©f human depravity, it may be observed, tlial he 
is setting forth a Situation exactly such a* was that of 
the people Paul was writing' to in his first epistle to the 
Corinthian?, whom he says were believers, if Paul there 
describes them right. See page 33. "For if the car- 
nal mind in the Romans was enmity against God, it 
mist of course be so in the Corinthians." After very 
correctly quoting Rom. viii. 6, 9. he asks, "Does not 
the apostle in this passage speak of two classes of men, 
as opposite to each other as light and darkness ?" No 
doubt he does, and he as plainly decribes what makes 
the distinction, through that whole chapter. I will 
mention a few passages, and request the reader to ex- 
amine the whole chapter. Ver.lst: "There is therefore 
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, 
that walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Ver. 
13, 11 : For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but 
if ye, through the spirit, do mortify the deeds of the 
body, ye shall live ; for as many as are led by the spirit 
of God, they are the sons of God. Which plainly shews, 
that all that made the difference between the two clas- 
ses, was, the one submitted to the spirit, to be led by 
it, and thereby became the sons of God ; but the other 
rejected and despised it, and therefore walked after 
the flesh, and became enemies to God ; for, observe, 
the apostle no where intimates any loss by the fall, 
which is not made up by the offering of Christ,* and 
gift of his holy spirit, if we will submit to its cleans- 
ing operations. This makes the difference, in the two 
classes Paul speaks of, viz. the obedient and the die- 
ibedient ; for the whole gospel plan is built «pon the 

•For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made 
filive. 1 Cor. xv. 2S. 



3i 

condition of obey the gospel and live, or rebel against 
it and perish. And after all the speculations on 
human depravity, we must depend on the divine mer- 
cy, and our obedience to what God has pleased to mani- 
fest to be i.ur duty ; for he will not judge according to 
that we have not, but according to that which we have ; 
and he that will not be led by the spirit of God will be 
none of his; but to as many as are led by his spirit, he 
will give power to become the sons of God, however 
men may deride or reject it : and these two char- 
acters constitute the good and evil ground. 

Whatever depravity Adam's fall subjected his poster- 
ity to, it is clear there is no imputation of any guilt to 
them until, by actual transgression, they deprave them- 
selves ; else our Saviour would not have testified that 
infants were such subjects as were fit for the kingdom. 

I will remark on one more of his assertions, in page 
35, and then leave him to remain in his depravity until 
he is willing to accept of the only means that can help 
him out of it, viz. the leading, guiding and teaching of 
that grace and holy spirit of truth, that Christ promised 
to give to all that humbly ask it, without limit to time ? 
place, age or sex. 

" The truth is, God is good, and our lives are filled 
with his goodness to body and soul, though we have no 
disposition without his special grace to obey his word, 
or to render to the Lord according to his benefits." 
I should be willing to know what he means by special 
grace, since there is no such distinction of grace spoken 
of in scripture that I know of; nor do I know of any 
thing in scripture that warrants a belief that he re- 
quires obedience to his word without furnishing grace 
*ut&cient for whatever he requires j otherwise we 



might accuse him of being a hard master, and requiring 
impossibilities, which by no means comports with the 
idea I have of his divine character ; nor do I believe 
that any, who are disposed to render unto him accord- 
ing to his benefits, could think of representing him in 
such a point of view. 

Sfxtion 2. 
Of the Incarnation. 

I now come to section 2d of chapter 4th, page 37, of 
Rand's book, where, after recapitulating, with some va- 
riation, some of the false charges published in his ser- 
mons, he says : " In support of the remarks, I shall brief- 
ly refer to some more ancient authorities than I have 
done on other subjects- The first rise of the sect wal 
marked with much wildness and extravagauce ; and 
with the explicit avowal of sentiments, which, if they 
are still embraced, are now more cautiously stated." 

To this I reply, that his more ancient authority he 
says is Cotton Mather, in 1691, sixteen years after Rob- 
ert Barclay published to the world an approved u Apol- 
ogy for the true Christian Divinity, being an explana- 
tion and vindication of the principles and doctrines of 
the people called Quakers;" addressed to Charles the 
second, King of Great Britain ; and this at a time 
when he accuses them of much wildness and heated zeal. 
Barclay's work has long been and still is before the pub- 
lic; from which they may judge with what colour of 
justice or candour he (Rand) has undertaken to asperse 
them with the vague reports of such historians as Cotton 
Mather, a character which well accords with a set of 
men whose conduct would, if brought to view in these 
days, disgrace any people, (not only towards the Qua- 



as 

kers, but also towards others that dared to dissent from 
them in religions opinions ;) for a sample of which, I 
will give an extract from an election sermon by Pres- 
ident Oakes of Harvard University in 1675. He says, 
u The outcry of some for liberty of conscience, this is 
the great Diana of the libertines of the age." Again 
he observes, u I look upon toleration as the first born 
of all abominations. If it should be born and brought 
forth among us, you may call it Gad, and give the same 
reason that Leah did for the name of her son, behold a 
troop cometh ! a troop of all manner of abominations.'" 
Now it is well knowa from history, that Cotton Mather 
was a calumniator of such as dared to dissent from him in 
religious sentiment, in those times: and he stiles him- 
self a persecutor of the Quakers, see page 455, 2d vol. 
of his works, Hartford edition of 1320. And now if 
Rand can furnish any account of the conduct of the 
Quakers, that would savour more of wildness and ex- 
travagance than this, it would be something, I presume, 
the public have not yet been acquainted with ; yet it is 
to the testimony of such writers he resorts for evidence 
of those facts, that he would cast as a slur upon the soci- 
ety, notwithstanding his fallacious pretensions of candour 
in his sermons, where he says, " I abhor the practice of 
picking up accounts, even if perfectly true, of the crimes 
and faults of a few individuals, and ascribing them to a 
whole community; I draw my information concerning the 
sects I shall name from their own writings, and what 
is well known of their preaching, public confessions 
and articles of faith, or other undeniable authority." 
These declarations I shall leave, to stand as an impeach- 
ment of his own veracity, before all those who are ac- 
quainted with his means to furnish testimony for his 



34 

publication, in resorting lo remarks of Cotton Mather, 
and illustrating those vague and detached sentences 
from t: Mather's Quakerism displayed, " a piece well 
known to have been written in the time of wildness and 
heated zeal for persecution, to inflame the public mind 
against those people, in order to facilitate their diaboli- 
cal designs ; and was fully confuted by William Peno 
and others, at the time, 

I confess it would have been more pleasant to me if 
Rand had made out such testimony as he could have 
thought would answer his purpose, without bringing to 
view a witness of the character of Mather in his 
history; as I think his ashes ought not to have been 
disturbed ; and had he (Rand) considered the part he 
took in his day against the Quakers, I can but think, 
notwithstanding his propensity for scunillity, he would 
have spared his testimony. I cannot see much he has 
gained by his testimony, when he had such authors be- 
fore him as he professed to take his information from, 
which were fully published, at a much earlier period j 
and even in what Mather says, " They have become 
or speak somewhat more warily in what they publish- 
ed," we might have thought good sense or good breed- 
ing would have led him to have spared it, especially 
since it is impossible for any one to determine what it 
would amount to when connected with the subject un- 
der discussion at the time ; but we will however take 
it as it is, and see what can be made out of it in its 
detached state. 

He says — u Mather quotes a Quaker author in his 
time, who reproaches other professors for believing 
in an imaginary God beyond the stars ;" and to make 
something out of this testimony, he (Rand) adds in pa- 



35 

renthesis — :t a denial of the deity of Christ, or more 
probably his personal or bodily existence at the right 
hand of the Father." Now would comniun sense ap- 
prove of such constructions in order to make something 
out of vague testimony? But let him have it in his 
own way, and I would ask if he believes that Christ, in 
his personal and bodily existence at the right hand of the 
Father, is an imaginary God beyond the stars ? siuce 
he can no where find that the Quakers have doubted a 
glorified Christ at the right hand of the Father.* 

* Rand quotes Cotton Mather saying a Quaker said your 
rt carnal Christ is denied." Doubtless this was in reference to 
Fries? Higginson in England, who Mather says was a worthy 
man, ami the first who wrote against the Quakers. Hie;ginson 
in his ys t; Christ is in heaven with his carnal body." 

George Fox^ in his book, p. 71, which Cotton Mather says he 
had read, gives this answer — " Christ's body is a glorified body, 
and the scriptures do not speak any where that Christ's body is 
a carnal body in heaven/' I would ask what prevented Cotton 
Mather from quoting Higginson's speech instead of a Quaker's 
he mentions, but his extreme prejudice and enmity against them, 
and a willingness to cover the gross sentiments of his friend Hig* 
ginson, who appears to be the first that called Christ's body a 
carnal body in heaven, and published it 33 years before Mather 
wrote. Higginson's book contain? a number of other errors, and 
charges Friends with holding sentiments they never did hoid ; 
and others, which he called errors, George Fox in his answer 
proved *o be truths by the scripture, as may be seen in his book 
printed 1658. And thus it has been that the false accusations 
from Higginson's book as well as others have been handed from 
one to another, and the gross sayings of adversaries have been 
falsely charged upon us; so unjust is priest craft; and that 
craft as well -as enmity was practised by Cotton Mather, appears 
upon the face of his own history in the following words, viz, 
" When I heard of any books left by the Quakers in my neigh- 
bourhood, I would presently repair to the houses, and obtain the 
venomous pamphlets from them," which conduct was noticed 
by John Whiting's answer, p. 42, "fearing their truth should be 
spread, and careful not to publish any vindication of their princi- 
ples, or so much as the principles themselves, knowing if he did 
they would contradict his vague, incorrect and false assertions 
which he has collected from known adversaries and published." 
Why, 1 ask, should Asa Rand take such an historian for his 
guide ? Is it not for the same reasons, that friend's writings were 



SB 

I frill now, to ovoid prolixity, bring forward the body 
of testimony he ha* collected from Mather, and dismiss 
it with but few remark* : but they may perhaps be 
more taken notice of than some people may think such 
contemptible testimony deserves. Mather ({notes a- 
nother author as saying-: 4; Vonr carnal Christ is utter- 
ly denied by the light.- 5 Now does Rand own a carnal 
Christ? He quotes from Fox : " He is deceived who 
saith God k distinct from tl)e saints.** — And doth not 
God promise that he will u dwell in them ?" And from 
Whitehead: " They are like to be deceived who are 
expecting that Christ's second coming w ill be persona!." 
Did not Christ promise his disciples that he would not 
" leave them comfortless?*' (John xiv. 18) — ct and t Fiat 
if he went away he would come ajjain," (John xiv. 17) 
— and that he would "walk in them and dwell in them?" 
2 Cor. vi. 16. and would that be personal ? 

He then mentions, " That some writers out of the 
Quaker society had used some expressions, which he says 
Mather quotes Fox as objecting to, and from which it 
appears he held the opposite sentiments;''" of which I 
have no doubt, as they appear not to be scriptural. He 
says, " Mather also quotes the famous Pennington as 
saying, U We can never call the bodily garment Christ, 
but that which appeared and dwelt in the body." But 

suppressed, i. e. to prevent the truth from appearing:, thereby 
shewing his own a? well a* Cotton Mather's want of candour ? 
I wiH notwithstanding: with pleasure acknowledge thai I 
have some reason to hope that before his death Cotton Mather 
had become more mild and more just toward irieods. as appears 
by a letter of his to Thomas Chalkley of Philadelphia, and the 
answer, as well a* his publication called Vital Christianity, and 
notwithstanding his extreme severity in his writing of Quakers, 
I readily refer the reader to the biography of his life and general 
character in the Biographical Dictionarv of the candid Jobt* 
Elliot. 



37 

Rand adds, u but (he son or word is not called Christ in 
scripture, except when his humanity is included ;" but as 
that is only an unscriptural assertion of his, since the 
scripture declares him the u Lamb slain from the foun- 
dation of the world ;" which with his other cavilling 
assertions, that I think not worthy of attention, I will 
leave, and give what Pennington has left in print on the 
subject. What Pennington says on the subject is prin- 
cipally by way of queries, which are as follows : 

H19 sixth query is, " To whom do the names and ti- 
tles Jesus and Christ chiefly and in the first place belong? 
Do they belong to the body which was taken by him, 
or to him who took the body ? The body has its na- 
ture and properties, and the eternal or son of God (the 
fountain of innocency, the pure, spotless Lamb) its na- 
ture and properties." Now the query is, which was 
the appointed Saviour of the Father, which was the an- 
nointed of the Father chiefly and in the first place ? 
whether the body prepared, or he for whom the body 
was prepared, to do the will and offer up the accepta- 
ble sacrifice in. 

u Query 7th. WhicK is Christ's flesh and blood 
which we are to partake of, whereof we are to be 
formed, which we are to eat. and drink, and which is 
meat and drink indeed, nourishing to life everlasting? 
Is it the flesh and blood of the body which was prepar- 
ed for and taken by him, wherein he tabernacled and ap- 
peared in the body ? for that which he took upon him 
was our garment, even the flesh and blood of our nature, 
which is of an earthly, perishing nature ; but he is of an 
eternal nature ; and his flesh and blood and bones are of 
his nature : now as the life and nature which is begot* 
ten in his, is spiritual, so that which feeds and is the 

4 



38 

nourishment of if, must be of a spiritual and eternal 
nature." 

"Query 8th. What is the bread which cnme down 
from heaven ? is not the bread and the flesh a!l one ? 
Outwardly visible flesh and blood were not in heaven, 
nor came down from heaven ; but the bread of life did 
come down from heaven ; which the heavenly birth 
feeds on, and lives by ; for that which redeems, that 
which is Jesus (the Saviour) came down from heaven, 
and took upon him a body of flesh l.erp on earth ; in 
which he manifested himself as king, priest and proph- 
et, and did the work appointed him by the Father/' 
John xvii. 1. &c. 

But to all this Rand, page 38, adds the following re- 
mark : " But the Son or word is not called Christ in 
scripture, except where his humanity is included." 
But, reader, observe in this he contradicts the apostle, 
1 Cor. x. 3, 4. u And all did eat the same spiritual 
meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink ; (for 
they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, 
and that rock was Christ.") By this declaration of the 
apostle Paul it appears that Christ was spoken of as be- 
ing with the children of Israel in the wilderness, to 
which other scripture testimony might be added, but 
this may be sufficient to show Rand's mistake. From 
all which Mather draws this conclusion, (and Rand says 
it seems necessarily to follow) u you must imagine it 
was this more spiritual body that was crucified in that 
more gross bodily garment, which was derived from 
the Virgin Mary, and you must imagine that body fo be 
in every body, as in a garment crucified over again : 
thus the whole story of the Gospel is acted over again 
every day as literally as ever it was at Jerusalem of 



3J9 

old; it is all transacted by unaccountable dispensations 
within ourselves, and Christ is in every Quaker as prop- 
erty as he was in that garment of a man, that was hang- 
ed upon the tree."* And all this, Rands thinks, "seems 
necessarily to follow." If it must follow as a conse- 
quence of Christ's being in us, it is what must follow in- 
deed, "except we are reprobates," or the apostle Paul 
was mistaken ; for he says, "examine yourselves wheth- 
er ye be in the faith, prove your own selves ; know ye 
not your own selves, hew that Jesus Christ is in you 
except ye be reprobates ?" 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Now was this 
his humanity that was in them? and were those only 
believers that Christ was in ? or was it all except the 
one of a thousand he speaks of on this wise ? After de- 
scribing what Paul says of carnal andi.atura! men, page 
36, he says — " Now no one will say that he means here 

* William Penn answered those charges Rand brings from 
Cotton Mather, who it appears took from the book entitled the 
Snake in the Grass, the author of which brought it from Thomas 
Hix, all of them envious adversaries to Friends, and who were 
noticed aud refuted by Doct. Phillips of London, and by John 
Whiting, in answer to Cotton Mather, and by Joseph Wyeth, 
in answer to the Snake in the Grass. And William Penn, in 
Tol. 2d, page 588 folio, says, u As to our belief that Christ is ia 
every Quaker as properly as he was in that garment of a man 
which was hanged on the tree, it is denied as a blasphemous in- 
ference ;" and asks, u Did we ever say that the fulness of the 
Godhead dwelt bodily in us ? He is manifested in us to save of*. 
Was he so mainifested in that manhood to save it, or is George 
Whitehead or William Penn as properly and peculiarly the man- 
hood of the Saviour, as that he took to manifest himself 
Saviour in? Thou shalt see where ihy sophistry will lead 
thee. The Son of God appeared bodily and visibly at Jerusa- 
lem ; the son of God was revealed in Paul ; therefore Paul may 
as well be called Jesus Christ, as he, in that appearance. Again, 
divine worship was to be given to Christ, but Christ was in Paul, 
therefore divine worship was to be given to Paul. These vain> 
cavils and sophisms that Rand has stated from Cotton Mather, as 
he says, to entertain his readers with and to abuse us, are great 
instances of a weak cause ;md an evil end." 



• 



40 

(by natural or carnal men) reprobates alone, one of a 
thousand ; is he then describing human nature as it 
stands in the fall, a mere abstract nothing ? or is he de- 
scribing human nature as it is ?" 

I agree he is describing it as it is ; and then, if he will 
abide by his own conclusion, he confirms the Quaker 
doctrine of Christ in all except reprobates, one of a 
thousand ; (and that men may reprobate themselves by 
withstanding the day of their visitation is the doctrine 
of the Quakers, as may be seen in Barclay's Apology, 
page 13?;) because if Paul did not mean the one of a 
thousand, in the one case, it is pretty clear he did not 
in the other; therefore Christ is in all except repro- 
bates. But the apostle says, verse 6, " But I trust ye 
shall know we are not reprobates;" and I hope this 
will be found to be the case with the Quakers; and if 
so, Christ must be in them ; but that they are from this 
bound to crucify him every day appears a preposterous 
conclusion, since we have no account that it w r as the 
Corinthians' case: and therefore I presume it is only 
one of the strange vagaries of the brain of Mather and 
Rand, and thus dismiss the subject for the present. 

In regard to what Mather states on his own authori- 
ty, that the Quakers would ordinarily say to our people, 
we deny thy Christ, we deny thy God, which thou call- 
est Father, Son, and Spirit ; thy Bible is the word of 
the Devil, &c. — " As I do not know the connexion, nor 
what the &c. contained, it cannot be supposed that it 
can be replied to with propriety; but 1 believe that 
this much may be said, that Rand having the standard 
authors before him, that were published long before 
Mather wrote, with a statement of the doctrine and te- 
nets of the Quakers, and which they have uniformly 



41 

held to ever since, is it not a pitiful shift in him to re- 
sort to such old, detached and vague accounts to fill up 
what he would have his readers believe a friendly de- 
bate ? and it is what he could not have done, had he 
been a man of veracity, after what he had stated in his 
sermons, page 19. 

As to his observations, " of wildness and extravagance, 
page 37, with which he says their first coming forth 
was marked, and the explicit avowal of sentiments, 
which, if they are now embraced, are now more cau- 
tiously stated" — I answer, let it be observed respecting 
the sentiments which were given to the world in print 
in those days (which he denominates the time of their 
extravagance and wildness) by Fox, their first founder, 
also Whitehead, Pennington, and particularly hy Bar- 
clay in " his Apology for the true Christian divinity, 5 - 
"it being an explanation and vindication of the princi- 
ples and doctrines of the people called Quakers," which 
Apology was published to the world in the year 1675, 
(many years before his " more ancient" authority from 
Mather) and which author he had before him ; that 
these doctrines and principles as then published are 
still maintained as the principles of the Society ; and 
any statement which he or Mather makes of principles 
or sentiments different from those stated as attributable 
to the Society, are without foundation or truth. 

If he thinks himself entitled to the thanks of the So- 
ciety for his forbearance in not reviving the doctrines 
of Fox and others, I think he is mistaken, as the memo- 
ry of those worthies still remains to be venerated by 
them ; but I think him entitled to both pity and censure 
for his endeavouring to calumniate them, by bringing 
4* 



42 

ftfrir&rd vague reports and slanders of their enemies, 
for the purpose of misrepresenting them. 

Page 39 he says, " To these extracts from Mather 
might be added many more concerning th^ir former 
tenets." I answer, to all he can add, whoever maj 
write after him may add one more still ; but frrm one 
whose performance is made up of invidious, detached 
expressions from such of their enemies, as would not 
become any one but a calumniator. 

But for his extract from an English Magazine,* I do 

* To show Rand 1 * illiberally in making the above extract 
from the Christian Observer, and not stating the circumstances 
relating to it, it may be proper to mention, that Charles Lesley, 
a Scotch churchman, wrote the book entitled "The Snake in 
the Gras«," in which he took his statements from other adversa- 
ries, who had aJ>o been answered by divers Friend. 1 ; Lesley by 
Joseph VVyeth in aD octavo volume, and Mather by John Whi- 
ting ; but what is peculiarly noticeable in Rand, though he has 
quoted the Christian Observer, he has not told us what number, 
p*ige or date, but admitted the candour of the author, though a 
Churchman, in order to give his relation more currency. He 
has avoided the answer ol Henry Tuke in the same volume re- 
specting; Lesley's groundless charge, who answered it by reciting 
Barclay's Prop. 5 and 6. Sec. 15. It is possible he may have 
gotten his erroneous idea, that Quakers make little of the atone- 
n ent of Christ, from Lesley's corrupt statement. The candour 
of the Christian Observer has also published from one of his con- 
stant reader* his acknowledgments " that the quotation from 
Barclay sent by Henry Tuke does unquestionably militate a- 
gaiust the representation of Mr. Lesley ; and if we are to Te^a.Td 
the Apology of Barclay as containing an authentic statement of 
the doctrines maintained by the Quakers, the evidence in their 
favour is decisive : but this i? a point on which I arn not satisfied, 
and therefore I shull be obliged to Henry Tuke or any ether 
person for further information. " This information was tarnished, 
as appears in vol. 3 of the Christian Observer, page 73, by Henry 
Tuke, saying " the first publication of the wurk was under the 
sanation of the Society, and it having passed through two or 
ihree editions in English a? well as some in other languages be- 
fore Lesley could have written the controverted passage, are 
circumstances which fix upon him a vjtiful misrepresentation 
%\ the Society." 

Btade the abgve information, Tuke aajs " it may be proper fti 



43 

oot know that there is any doubt of the correctness of 
it, or of the liberal views of the conductors, or even of 
their candour ; but admitting all that, it may be easy to 
conceive that they might at some time permit some 
such illiberal and invidious school divine (as our oppo- 
nents have divers times been) to have such sentiments 
inserted in their columns; but to what do Uiey amount 
but accusations, and them such as none, but Rand, and 
those like him, would have brought into what he would 
have to be thought 4C a friendly discussion," since no 
one can know what their language is but by consulting 
their authors, which Rand had before him ; but he 
even does not tell us what that language is which ex- 
plains away the meaning of Scripture so allegorically, 
and I believe it will not be doubted but that any lan- 
guage they could use would be construed so as to be 

add, that it was first printed in Latin, has since (1804) passed 
through eight editions in English, under the sanction of the So- 
ciety, beside one printed in Dublin and another in Birmingham ; 
[it has also, I may say, had four if not five editions in America ;] 
it has likewise undergone three editions in German, two in 
Dutch, two in French, one in Spanish, and one in Danish ; also 
a second edition in Latin ; those in foreign languages, were 
by the direction and at the expense of the Society ; and a year 
never passes without a public recognition of the work by the 
Society at large, by reading over a list of books in their annual 
meeting in order to consider of republishing such as are nearly 
©ut of print ; nor is this all, it is a book, and as far as my knowl- 
edge extends the only book which has been given by the society 
to many of the public libraries in Europe, as well as to some sov- 
ereigns and ambassadors, for conveying correct information of 
their principles, and for counteracting those misrepresentations 
with which adversaries such as Lesley have endeavoured t& im- 
press the public mind* Thus much may be said, that unsound- 
ness respecting the Christian faith is not only censured by the 
Society of Quakers, but it is perhaps the only society of Christ- 
ians in England which supports its discipline in such a manner as 
to disown those persons who by word or writing profess, or prop- 
agate, deistioal principles, when after due labour such cannot be 
brought to the. acknowledgment of this error." 



44 

understood a denial of the truth we profess to hold, if 
left to Rand's explanation ; but he says, u I am afraid I 
have little reason to say they have very much improved 
on this doctrine in modern times." But it may be some 
consolation to the Quakers, to believe that neither the 
hopes nor fears of a person such as he appears to be, 
if we are to judge from his performance, will be likely 
to prove of much consequence to them, in the view of 
an enlightened public, who read and compare with 
candour. In page 41 he says, " Clarkson allows that 
the Quakers make little of Christ, and every thing of 
the Spirit." But he says, " To an attentive reader of 
Scripture I need not prove, that the Son and Spirit are 
as distinct as the Father and Son." I think he need not, 
since Christ expressly says, " I and the Father are one," 
(John x. 30.) for which the unbelieving Jews took up 
stones to stone him. He says, u the office of the Son 
was to tabernacle in the flesh, and die for our offences." 
I answer, that was his office in part, but he gave gifts 
unto men, &c. 

1 will now give a few Scripture testimonies, and any 
one may judge of the importance ot his distinctions and 
assignments of offices. " Likewise the Spirit also belp- 
eth our infirmities; for we know not what we sho«ld 
pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh in- 
tercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered." 
And thus the Spirit is our intercessor. " And he that 
searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the 
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the sainta 
according to the will of God" — Rom. viii. 26. 27. " It 
is Christ that died, yea rather that i* risen again, who 
is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh 
intercession for us" — Rom. viii. 34. And thus Christ is 



45 

our intercessor. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, 
who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, 
and sanctification, and redemption" — 1 Cor. i. 30. And 
thus we see Christ is also our sanctifier, as well as re- 
deemer. w That I should be the minister of Jesus 
Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, 
that the offering up of the Gentiles (or, as it is in the 
margin, sacrificing of the Gentiles) might be acceptable^ 
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." — Rom. xv. 16* 
And thus we see that the Holy Ghost is our sanctifier. 
4; For every creature of God is good, and nothing to 
be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving : for it 
is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer." 
1 Tim. iv. 4, 5. And thus we see the word of God is 
a sanctifier. But perhaps ftand will 3ay, this word of 
God is the Bible. But again, John xvii. 17. — " Sancti- 
fy them through thy truth, thy word is truth." Was 
the Bible here meant ? By all which, notwithstanding, 
he so assumingly assigns to each f heir different offices. 
I think it appears that the Spirit is our intercessor as 
well as Christ ; and that Chrkt is our sanctifier, as well 
as intercessor and redeemer ; and that the word is our 
sanctifier, and also that the Holy Ghost is our sanctifier. 
Now to what doe$ all his distinction amount ? or how 
do the Quakers make too much of the Spirit ? seeing 
they all work that seif-same blessed effect, the redemp- 
tion and sanctification of the soul ? Perhaps it might 
now be though c his few remarks on his extracts from 
Clarkson might be passed oyer without notice, seeing 
that it is very probable his conclusions are drawn from 
false premises, leaving what he says the extracts con- 
firm, as 1 believe they cannot be considered but as the 
vagaries of a deluded brain, or the effect of an ill dis- 



4« 

posed mind. He says, " The true doctrine is, the word 
and not the Spiiit was made flesh, and dwelt among as." 
Now I believe as he does, " That the word took flesh, 
(unless he means the Bible) and I also believe that the 
Spirit and the Holy Ghost took flesh, for the word of 
God is a spirit, and Christ Jesus was full of the Ho!y 
Gh^st. And I also believe that the Father, the Word, 
and the Holy Spirit, are one ; and what God hath join- 
ed together let no man put asunder by his sophistical 
reasoning. But he says, u In another chapter Clarksca 
allows (what has been objected) that the Quakers make 
little of Christ, and every thing of the Spirit." This 
assertion of Rand's is entirely incorrect, inasmuch as 
Clarkson expressly states this as an obje< tiun that has 
been made to the Quaker doctrine, and by no means 
admits it to be true, as will clearly appear from the fol- 
lowing extracts from that author, (vol. 2, page 208.) 
" Now an objection will be made to the proposition as 
I have just stated it, by some Christians and even by 
those who do not wish to derogate from the Spirit of 
God, (for I have frequently heard it started by such) 
that the Quakers, by means of these doctrines, make 
every thing of the Spirit, and but little of Jesus Christ. 
I shall therefore notice this objection in this place, not 
so much with a view of answering it, as of attempting 
to show, that Christians have not always a right appre- 
hension of scriptural terms, and therefore that they 
sometimes quarrel with one another about trifles, or 
rather, that when they have disputes with each other, 
there is sometimes scarcely a shade of difference be- 
tween them." 

To those who make the objection, I shall describe 
the proposition which has been stated above, in differ^ 



4-7 

tnt terms. I shall leave out the words, " Spirit of 
God, 1 ' and shall wholly substitute the term Christ. This 
I shall do upon the authority of some of our best di- 
vines. The proposition then will run thus : God, by 
means of Christ, created the world, for without him 
wa« not any thing made that was made. He made, by 
means of the same Christ, the terrestial globe on which 
we live. He made the whole host of Heaven. He 
made, therefore, besides our own, other planets and 
other worlds. He caused, also, by means of the same 
Christ, the generation of all animated nature, and of 
coure the life and vital powers of man. He occasion- 
ed, also, by the same means, the generation of reason 
©r intellect, and of a spiritual faculty to man. 

" Man, however, had not been long created, before 
he fell into sin. It pleased God, therefore, that the 
same Christ, which had thus appeared in creation, 
should strive inwardly with man, and awaken his spi- 
ritual faculties, by which he might be able to know 
good from evil, and to obtain inward redemption from 
the pollutions of sin. And this inward striving of Christ 
vras to be with every man, in after times, so that all 
would be inexcusable and subjected to condemnation t 
if they sinned. 

M It pleased God, also, in process of time, as the at- 
tention of man was led astray by bad customs, by plea- 
sures, by the cares of the world, and other causes, that 
the same Christ, in addition to this his inward striving 
with him, should afford him outward help, accommoda- 
ted to his outward senses, by which his thoughts might 
be oftener turned towards God, and his soul be better 
preserved in the way of salvation. Christ accordingly 
through Moses and the Prophets became the author of 



48 

a dispensation to the Jews, that is, of their law?, types 
and customs, of their prophecies and of their scriptures. 
But as in the education of man things must be gradually 
unfolded, so it pleased God, in the scheme of his re- 
demption, that the same Christ, in fulness of time, should 
take ilesh, and become personally upon earth the author 
of another outward but of a more pure and glorious 
dispensation than the former, which was to be more 
extensive also ; and which was not to be confined to the 
Jews, but to extend in time to the uttermost corners of 
the earth. Christ therefore became the author of the 
inspired delivery of the outward scriptures of the new 
testament. By these, as by outward and secondary- 
means, he acted upon men's senses. He informed 
them of their corrupt nature, of their awful and peril- 
ous situation, of another life, of a day of judgment, of 
rewards and punishments. 

u These scriptures, therefore, of which Christ was 
the author, were outward instruments at the time, and 
continue so to posterity, to second his inward aid. That 
is, they produce thought, give birth to anxiety, excite 
fear, promote seriousness, turn the eye towards God, 
and thus prepare the heart for a sense of those inward 
strivings of Christ which produce inward redemption 
from the power and guilt of sin. 

" Where, however, this outward aid of the holj 
scriptures has not reached, Christ continues to purify 
and redeem by his inward power. But as men, who 
are acted upon solely by his inward strivings, have not 
the same adrantages as those who are also acted upon 
by his outward word, so less is expected in the one 
than in the other case ; less is expected from the Gen- 
tile than from the Jew ; less from the Barbarian than, 
from the Christian. 



49 

; * And this latter doctrine of the universality of the 
striving of Christ with man, in a spiritually instructive 

and redemptive capacity, as it is merciful and just, so it 
is worthy of the wise and beneficent Creator. Christ, 
in short, h -is been filling', from the foundation of the 
world, the office of an inward redeemer, and this with- 
out any exception, to all of the human race, and there 
i? even now no salvation in any other. For there is 
no other name under heaven given among men, where- 
by we must be saved. Acts iv 12. 

u From this new statement of the proposition, which 
statement is consistent with the language of divines, 
it will appear that, if the Quakers have made every 
thing of the Spirit, and but* little of Christ, I have 
made, to suit the objectors, every thing of Christ, and 
but Jiitie of the Spirit. Now 1 would ask, where lies 
the difference between the two statements ? Which is 
the more accurate ? or whether, when I say these things 
were done by the Spirit, and when I say they were 
done by Christ, 1 do not state precisely the same pro- 
position, or express the same thing ? That Christ, in 
all these offices stated by the proposition, is neither 
more nor less than the Spirit of God, there can surely 
be no doubt." 

In p. 42. Rand says, u Ciarkson states this as the prin- 
cipal or only object of the Spirit's duelling in Jesus; 
and shows at some length that in him the Spirit bruised 
the serpent's head, so that sin could eot enter :" he 
then a4is, u But is this inward redemption? Even the 
Friends acknowledge sin in man, but that Christ had n« 

* u The Quakers make much of the advantages of Christ's 
coming in the flesh. Among these are considered the sacrifice 
©f hit own body, * more plentiful diffusion of the Spirit, and ft 
clearer revelation relative to God and man." 



£0 

*in ;" ami say?, u hcrc is a combat without an enemy. : ' * 
But let any one read Malt. iv. 1 to 11, where Christ 
was led up of the Spirit into (he wilderness to be tempt- 
ed cf the Devil ; (now was the devil no enemy to 
Christ?) and where Satan was suffered a to tempt him 
forty days and forty nights, all which time he fasted." 
vYas this a combat without an enem^ ? " where he 
was tempted with all the kingdoms cf the world, and 
the glory of them, if he would fall down and worship 
him ; ?1 and where " he was tempted, when he was an 
hungered, to command the stones to be made bread ; 
and where, when the Devil left him, Angels came and 
ministered unto him. See LuLe iv. 1 to 13, and Mark i. 
12, 13. " And immedisteiy the Spirit driveth him into 
4he wildernesr 3 and he was there in the wilderness for- 
ty days tempted cf Satan, and was with the wild beasts." 
Now was this a combat without an enemy ? — And Heb. 
iL 10. u For it became him, for whom arc all things, 
and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to 
glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect 
through suiTerings." Now was ail this a combat with- 
out an enemy ? In*o such absurdities do men run when 
they attempt to pervert scripture to support their own 
worldly end carnal views, or to explain them, unless 

* Here R.and has entirely overlooked or .suppressed a note of 
Clarkson's, touching this very subject, which, had he quoted, 
would, a9 he could not but havo well known, entirely overthrown, 
his false statements, and inferences drawn from them ; fer Clark- 
son, speaking of the inward work of redemption, as having been 
from the beginning adds, in the note above alluded to, that " In 
the sanae manner, Jesus Christ, having tasted death for every 
man, the sacrifice or ovf>vard redemption looks backwards 
and forwards, as well to Adam as to those who lived after the 
gospel times. "— Thus clearly admitting the validity and pre- 
ciousness of the outward sacrifice of Christ, in accordance with 
'Barclay on the same subject. 



61 

the Spirit gives an understanding of them. — And we 
need not go far for an instance of Rand's absurdity ; 
for in page 41, speaking of the different and distinct 
offices of Christ and the Spirit, he says, "that Christ is 
our redeemer, but the Spirit our sanctifier ;" and in 
the next page, (42) he says again, " 1 believe and re- 
joice in the belief, that the Holy Spirit dwells in all true 
Christians, to redeem them from all iniquity" But sure- 
ly he will not deny but that which dwells in all Chris- 
tians to redeem them is their Redeemer: thus plainly 
contradicting his own assertions. 

I do not believe that Rand can produce a Quaker 
author that does not believe, that Jesus Christ was 
begotten of the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, 
laid in a manger, circumcised the eighth day, and after 
that served his parents as a faithful son, and in time 
was baptised of John ; and that the Spirit (the Holy 
Ghost) descended upon him, and that he was driven 
into the wilderness, tempted of Satan, overcame his 
temptations, preached the gospel, (which was and still 
is the power of God unto salvation) wrought miracles, 
was betrayed by Judas, (one of the twelve disciples) 
taken by the Jews, brought before the high priests, 
mocked and spit upon, led before Pilate, accused by 
the Priests, condemned and delivered to the Priests 
and Scribes, and by the band was clothed with purple, 
and crowned with thorns, led to Calvary, nailed to the 
cross, had vinegar mingled with gall offered him to 
drink, and then crucified between two thieves, pierced 
with a spear, his body begged by Joseph and laid in a 
new sepulchre — that he arose the third day from the 
dead — that his resurrection was declared to the women 
by an angel— that he first appeared unto Mary Magda* 



HI 

Ierie, out of whom he had cast seven devils, and that 
ahe first preached his resurrection — that he then ap- 
peared unto the two disciples as they walked by the 
nay, afterward to the eleven as they sat at meat ; and 
that, after he had spoken to them, he was taken up in- 
to heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, and re- 
mainelh Word, Son, and Spirit— a Saviour — a Redeem- 
er — an Intercessor — a Propitiation— an Advocate-—- a 
Sanctifier, Purifier, and Justifier, of all that obey his 
heavenly call ; but a swift witness against all the diso- 
bedient and gainsaying pharisaical professors. Now if 
these things have not been believed by the Quakers, I 
have not discovered if. after an association with them 
of at least fifty years, in which 1 have been an attentive 
©bserver of their wriiings, conversation, and conduct. 
I now submit it to the candid, to judge which of the 
two have the most rational belief of the Incarnation- 
Rand or the Quakers. 

Section 3. 
Of the Jltonement of Christ. 
Rand says, page 42, " Having replied in regard t© 
the incarnation, I now proceed to the atonement ;" and 
farther on observes, " my meaning was, they do not 
give it its due importance, " and says, " Friend Cobb 
has quoted one page from Barclay, a part of which has 
relation to the sufferings of Christ ; and this he believes 
is more than half that can be found on the subject, in 
that writer'? octavo volume of nearly 600 pages ;" but 
admits that he mentions it briefly and incidentally, in a 
few other places, but explains nothing. Then he ad- 
mits, " That with him agree all the Quaker writers he 
lias read ; and that Clarkson and Tuke are a little more 



5.1 

full and explicit on the subject. Rand undertakes (in 
page 46) to quote Tuke upon the subject of the atone- 
ment, but it appears he has treated him as he has mc<*t 
of our oilier writers whom he has quoted, taking* only 
a part, and that by no means the principal part, of what 
Tuke says upon the subject upon which Rand professes 
to quote him, and when at the same time he complains 
ofTuke's want of explanation. The instance of Rand 
now before me exhibits a specimen of unfairness in tills 
respect very rarely to be met with in the writings of 
those who lay any claim to candour, as will appear by 
a comparison of Rand's quotation with quotations at 
large of what Tuke says on the subject. 

Rand's quotation : u So far as remission of sins, and a 
capacity to receive salvation, are parts of justification, 
we attribute it to the sacrifice of Christ." Tuke, (page 
42,) " So far as remission of sins, and a capacity to re- 
ceive salvation, are parts of justification, we attribute 
it to the sacrifice of Christ ; in whom we have redemption 
through his blood* the forgiveness of sins, according to the 
riches of his grace, Eph. i. 7-'' 

Ran d\« quotation: u Rut when we consider justification 
as a state of divine favour and acceptance, we ascribe it to 
the sanctifying operations of the spirit." Tuke (p 42) 
H But when we consider justification as a state of divine 
favour and acceptance, we ascribe it, not simply either 
to faith or works, but to the sanctifying operation of the 
spirit of Christ, from which living faith and acceptable 
works alone proceed ; and by which we may come to know- 
that the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we 
are the children of God, Rom. viii ]6. 

1 asiv any one to read Barclay (see Barclay's Apolo- 
gy, p. 28, 141 5 202, 203. 205, 206, 207, 208) and- then* 
5* 



if they can devise any language to set it forth more ex- 
plicitly or fully. I should be obliged to any one to make 
inc acquainted with it ; or if it does not comprise ail 
that the scriptures declare the end of his coming to be 
— as an outward saviour, a full and complete atonement 
for sins past, that he might bring man te God. by and 
through his offering himself on the cro?s. But he 
(Rand) says : M The Quaker writers, and he presumes 
their speakers, seem determined to know nothing 
among us, but Jesus Christ as a light and seed within.'' 
After their declaration so folly of their belief of the 
efficacy of his unbounded love, in offering himself un- 
to God as an atonement, the just for the unjust, through 
the shedding his Ofm blood, as a Saviour without us 
— must it not be an arrogant assumption to conclude, 
that because they believe he is risen again from the dead, 
an I is at the right hand of the rather, and hath, as he 
promised if he went away, sent us another comforter, 
even the Spirit of truth, that should lead us into all 
truth — that they overlook that which they so explicit- 
ly declare they believe the very foundation of their 
redemption ? 

That their writers generally agree to what has beeis 
quoted from the authority mentioned, he agrees, but 
complains of a want of repetition of the same truths : 
but 1 presume it will not be contended that a truth once 
clearly and substantially laid down would be much 
strengthened by repetition. But if Rand is sincere in 
his wishes for further explanation, or his readers are 
desirous of further information on this subject, I refer 
him to Barclay's Catechism. Also to Barclay's answer 
to Win. Mitchell, folio edition of Barclay's works, p. 73, 
where he says: t; Though originally the cause of both 
Ion and justification, both by the infinite love of 



God, in which Christ was given, who offered himself a 
most sweet and satisfactory sacrifice, as a ransom, the 
atonement and propitiation for our sins ; but as to our 
being justified, it is by Christ and his spirit, as he comes 
in our hearts truly and really to make us righteous; 
which, because we are thus made, therefore we are 
accounted so of him, as the apostle plainly intimates 
in 1 Cor. vi. 11. that it is by the Spirit of God we are 
justified. 

And in folio p. 628, in his piece called Quakerism 
Confirmed, Barclay says : " As for the satisfaction of 
Christ without us, we own it against the Socinians, and 
that it was full and complete in its kind ; yet not so as 
to exclude the real worth of the work and sufferings of 
Christ in us, nor his present intercession. For if Christ 
his intercession without us in heaven doth not derogate 
from his satisfaction, but doth fulfil it; no more doth 
his intercession and sufferings in us." 

And in the same work, page 628, Barclay says again : 
'•'Christ's outward sufferings at Jerusalem were neces- 
sary unto men's salvation, notwithstanding his inward 
sufferings, that he might be a complete Saviour in all 
respects. For it behoved Christ not only to suffer in 
the members of his body, but also in the head ; so that 
it is a most foolish and unreasonable consequence to 
argue, that because Christ suffereth in the members 
therefore he need not to suffer in the head ; whereas the 
sufferings of Christ in the members, are but a small part 
of what he suffered in the head, by being offered up once 
for all ; yet a part they are, as serving to make up the 
integral of his sufferings." 

And in the Apology, page 215, Barclay says again : 
ix I suppose I have said enough already to demonstrate 
how much we ascribe to the death and sufferings of 



56 

Christ, as that whereby Satisfaction' is made to the jus- 
tice of Got, remission of <ins obtained, and (his grace 
and seed purchased, by and from Which this birth pro- 
ceeds." 

In regard to what he (Rand) says of those incidental 
effects of our Saviours death and sufferings, which did 
not belong to the atonement, I do not know but the 
world may derive great benefit from his explanation. 
1 am apprehensive, however, that if he had left it a* 
the apostle explained it, and as the Quaker writers 
have left it, the world would have lost nothing by it ; 
since his brief statement seems rather an explaining 
away, than stating, the doctrines of the atonement. Af- 
ter he has done that, he wisely tells us " that it is all un- 
necessary ; as he conceives it cannot be so well ex- 
pressed as in plain scripture language, w he suffered the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." 
But is it not arrogant in Rand to assert that there are 
many incidental effects of the Saviour's death, which 
cannot be properly said to belong to the atonement," 
when he admits in the same sentence, as follows : tw tho r 
tbey are all ascribed to his death in scripture," and then 
for reason adds, " because they are not the great object 
he had in view in pouring out his soul unto death." 
But I would ask what right has he or any other man 
(and especially those who take the scriptures for their 
only rule) to assert that those effects do not properly 
belong to a thing which the scriptures expressly as- 
cribe to it. So that it follows froai his own admission, 
(in these words, " though they are ascribed to his 
death in scripture") that they are ali included in the 
plan of redemption for which he offered himself, afte* 
all Rand's attempts to divide it into parts. 1 think it 



99 

would have been as well understood if lie had left it as* 
the Apostles and Quakers have it. Fee Edward Cobb's 
pamphlet, p. 23. It seems to me he has said rather 
more than will he found correct when tested with scrip- 
ture testimony, in stating " the necessity, nature and 
effects of the atonement, when he says, u God had given 
to mankind a perfect law, holy and just like himself, 
worthy to be the rule of rational creatures forever ; 
which is still binding in our day, and will be to the end 
©f the world. " 

Paul says, " For that the law could not do in that it 
was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in 
the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in 
the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be 
fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after 
the spirit." Rom, viii. 3, 4. Again Paul says, " Where- 
fore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto 
Christ, that we might be justified by faith, but after that 
faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." 
Gal. iii. 24, 25. And Heb. viii. 13, " In that he saith, 
A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now 
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish 
away." Heb. vii. 18, 19. "For there is verily a disan- 
nulling of the commandment going before for the weak- 
ness and unprofitableness thereof, for the law made 
nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope 
did, by the which we draw nigh unto Gdd." 

Is this the law which is so perfect, that it was just 
like God himself? and worthy to be a rule for rational 
creatures forever? and yet disannulled for the weak- 
ness and unpro fitableness of it ? 

There can be no great benefit derived by the world 
from such statements, since to me they appear t* oeh* 



Iradict scripture testimony : nor do I see the propriety 
of his statement generally on the subject of atonement. 
He says nothing about the most interesting and glorious 
designs of that event. 

I do not believe that he knows much about the 
string of assertions he annexes: neither do I believe in 
his authority to determine the situation God would hare 
brought himself into if he had done otherwise than he 
did ; or that he has any power to limit the Holy One, 
or to determine what the wicked would have said, or 
laid to his charge ; cr that the penHent would not have 
known that it was because he was merciful that they 
were pardoned. 

These are assertions I have no disposition to contra- 
dict, as in thus doing I should like him be only prating 
something that either he or myself knows little about. 

He then comes directly to the point. l Ho found a 
ransom, Immanuel took our place, a voluntary and spot- 
less sacrifice, God laid on him the iniquities of us all, 
he was made a curse for u.:." To which add what he 
has before said, and it is his full cotcription of the 
atonement ana a scriptural one, vl\ u he suffered the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God." 

I will now repeat Barclay^ description of the atone- 
ment, and it will give some idea of what he is quarrel- 
ling with the Quakers about. See Apology pa b e 202. 
u God manifested this love towards us, in sending his be- 
loved son the Lord Jesus Christ into the world, who 
gave himself an offering for us, and a sacriilce to God, 
for a sweet smelling savour, and haviag made peace 
through the blood of the cross, that he might reconcile 
us unto himself, and by the eternal spirit offered himself 
without spot unto God, and suffered for our sins 3 ih^ 



just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God.* 5 
And Barclay says, in page 141 : " For as we believe all 
those things to have been certainly transacted which 
are recorded in the holy scripture?, concerning the 
birth, life, miracles, sufferings, re;urrection and ascen- 
sion of Christ, so we do also believe that it is the duty 
of every one to believe it, to whom it has pleased 
God to reveal the same, and to bring thsm to the knowl- 
edge of it, yea, we believe it to be damnable unbelief 
not to believe it wh3nso declared," which passages ar« 
quoted by Cobb in his observations page 22, 23. 

There are many other "incidental" but very impor- 
tant effects intended hy his mission, and without the ac- 
complishment of which, we msy derive but little bene- 
fit from his atonement, some of which 1 will quote from 
his sermon on the mount. Matt. v. 9. "Blessed are 
the peace makers for they shall be (Tailed the children 
of God." Rand says defend yq.uselVes, but Christ says, 
verse 39, w But I say unto you that ye resist not evil." 
Christ says again, verse 34, " But I say unto you swear 
not at all." But Rand say.?, " and they have needless 
scruples of conscience concerning oaths." So it seems 
those " incidents" of his mission Rand thinks may be 
explained away, although positive commands, notwith- 
standing his complaints of others for allegorizing scrip- 
ture. But his are not to be complained of, seeing they 
are of a fashionable kind, and belong to the privileges 
of school divinity. But let the wise consider, what very 
great benefit can be derived from the death, sufferings, 
resurrection, ascension, and intercession of a Saviour, 
if we refuse him according as he is promised ; as a 
leader and guide into all truth, as a word behind us, 
as testified by the evangeiicel prophet : "And though 



60 

the Lor.;l give you the bread of adversity and the n 
oF affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into 
a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teach- 
er>, and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee say- 
ing", this is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the 
right hand and v>hen ye turn to the left. Isaiah xxx. 
CO, 21." 

And the Saviour promised, John xiv. 15, 16, 17: " If 
ye leve me keep my commandments, and I will pray 
the Father and he shall send you another comforter, 
that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of 
truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth 
him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, 
for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you ;" and 
>erse 20, but the comforter, which is the Hoiy Ghost, 
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach 
you all thing-?, and bring- all things to your remembrance 
vshatsoever I have said unto you " /.gain ]\!att. xi. 
27 : " All things are delivered unto me of my Father, 
and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither 
knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to 
whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 

Now are all these promises with many others to be 
explained away, and people made to believe that they 
are under a dispensation no better than the children in 
the wilderness were, when they had to look to a bra- 
zen serpent to be healed ? For if we are to look with- 
out for help, independently cf the teachings of Christ's 
Spirit, we might as well have one thing as another to 
look at, as indeed they that looked at the brazen serpent 
were not likely to be deceived In 'he present day, 
those wbo profas* to have no other guide but those 
expositions of scripture which abound in this age, mast 



61 

follow a blind guide, as every day's experience teaches 
us: one man saying they mean one thing 1 , and another, 
another; so that who can say which is right ? 

After what is inserted of the Quaker belief of the 
atonement, I think it unnecessary to quote any more 
from their authors, although many might be quoted to 
shew their scriptural belief of it. 

Candid readers of the scriptures and Quaker writings 
will not doubt that they are likely to derive as much 
use of the atonement from their understanding of it, as 
from Rand's explanation ; and that his own writings give 
sufficient evidence, that his objections arise more from 
envy, than from real concern for any errors of theirs 
concerning it. 

But he says (page 46) " The most explicit account 
of their belief concerning a suffering redeemer are the 
following." And farther on he says, " Tuke (pag-e 39) 
comes to the point, and remarks, i The chief objects of 
the coming of Christ evidently appear to have been, 1st. 
By the sacrifice of himself to make atonement to God 
for us, and to become a mediator between God and men. 
2d. By the sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit, to 
finish transgression, and make an end of sins, and to bring 
in everlasting righteousness.' " But to this he objects, 
u This surely was done rather by his death and resur- 
rection than by his spirit, seeing the apostle says, 
14 He died for our offences, and rose again for our justi- 
fication.' " But I do not see that Tuke in this contra- 
dicts the apostle, if we will allow the apostle to explain 
himself; for it clearly appears, by divers passages ia 
his writings, that the only way for us to be fully justifi- 
ed in the sight of God, is by the sanctifying operations 
©f'liia Spirit. Barclay says. Apology, page 225, "That it 



62 

!« by this revelation of Jesns Christ, an J the new crea- 
tion in ns, that vve are justified, does evidently appear 
from that excellent saying of the apostle, Tit. iii. 5. 
4 According to his raercv he hath saved ns hy the wash- 
ing, of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Giles',' 
&c. Now that whereby we are saved, that vve are al- 
so no doubt justified by ; which words are in this respect 
Yimous. Here the apostle clearly ascribes the im- 
mediate cause of justification to this inward work of re- 
generation, which is Jesus Christ revealed in the soul, 
as being- that which formally states us in a capacity of 
being reconciled with God ; the washing of regenera- 
tion being that inward power and virtue, whereby the 
soul is cleansed, and clothed with the righteousness of 
Christ, so as to be made fit to appear before God. 
And the apostle has this passage, 1 Cor. vi. 11. l But 
ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but 3 e are justified, 
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our 
God.' " 

Thus it may be seen how he (Rand) is catching at 
straws ; but he undertakes to tell what Tuke means 
when he says, u So far as remission of sins, and a ca- 
pacity to receive salvation, are parts of justification, 
we attribute it to the sacrifice of Christ." But Hand 
says, " Do not suppose, reader, that this remission of 
sins takes place when the sinner repents and believes. 
No — he means it took place when Christ died." But 
that this is a false construction of Tuke's meaning will 
appear by the quotations from that author already 
made, (page 53) of this work. 

But I presume that it is well understood that because 
Christ offered himself for the remission of sins past, that 
that offering did not preclude the necessity of sanctifi- 



6S 

cation by the Spirit. And since the apostle says, u El 
is God that worketh in you," he must be there ; for 
unless he is in them they cannot work with him, nor 
even begin the work of their salvation, and therefore 
could not be chargeable with guilt on that score. Since 
he seems to be so much at variance with the idea of 
Christ, the grace, spirit, light, seed and holy ghost in 
all men, to enable them to work out their salvation, 
why is he not obliging enough to let us have his wis- 
dom to teach us how he is in us? since we cannot be 
renewed without something in us to renew us ; and 
Christ said he was the light of the world, that enlight- 
ened every man that cometh into the world ; unless he 
can demonstrate a part includes all, then ail have it. 
But because Barclay says, u God hath so loved the 
world that he hath given his only son, a light, and this 
light eniighteneth the hearts of all for a time, in order 
for salvation if not resisted, being the purchase of his 
death who tasted death for every man ;" Rand says, 
u The words a light are an addition to the scripture." 
But to treat him in his own manner, 1 need not say to 
those that read the scripture, that to say the words a 
light are an addition to scripture, is not correct. Read 
John xii. 46. " I am come a light into the world, that 
whosoever believeth on me should not abide in dark- 
ness." And John i. 9. u That was the true light that 
lighteth every man that cometh into the world." I 
cannot see why he is in so much fear of the light, unless 
it is because he is not willing to bring his deeds to the 
light, lest they should be reproved. 

Rand says, " Thus they believe, in some way which 
»one of them has explained, Christ obtained by his death 



64 

ihe forgiveness of sins, and put men in a capacity for 
salvation, by giving bid spirit or seed." 

To this I reply, that if Christ does not redeem man 
out of the fall into which he was plunged by the first 
transgression, then he does not accomplish the end the 
scriptures declare he offered himself for, and he can no 
where find in the authors he has quoted, that they have 
ever even suggested the idea that any remission of ac- 
tual sins is to be expected without repentance, and that 
repentance sealed by amendment. All he has suggest- 
ed on this subject arises from his own imagination. 
He can have no idea of being believed by any but those 
who are like himself; or by such as are unacquainted 
with Quaker writings. 

But in his 43d page he has expressed his renewed 
belief, that their writers have given no correct or ade- 
quate idea of the object, or effect of these sufferings in 
(he great work of redemption. After enumerating sev- 
eral of their authors, such as Barclay, Tuke, &c. he 
asks, " Whence this brief and indistinct notice of the 
greatest wonder the world ever saw ? and why this si- 
lence and neglect, if the atonement is not overlooked ?" 
But says, " The brief extract Cobb has made from 
Kersey is simply a declaration of their belief in the 
historical facts of the New-Testament, but contains no 
statement about the atonement." 

Now I would ask any person of sense, if he wanted a 
true statement about the atonement, which he would 
apply to for such — to Rand, or the New Testament ? 
No person, of a sane mind, can ever expect to find any 
one, who can give a more correct one than Christ him- 
self did; which is corroborated by his disciples, the 
immediate companions^cf his life, and to whom he 3 both 



63 

full and explicit on the subject. Rand undertakes (in 
page 46) to quote Tuke upon the subject of the atone- 
ment, but it appears he has treated him as he has most 
of our other writers whom he has quoted, taking only 
a part, and that by no means the principal part, of what 
Tuke says upon the subject upon which Rand professes 
to quote him, and when at the same time he complains 
ofTuke's want of explanation. The instance of Rand 
now before me exhibits a specimen of unfairness in this 
respect \ery rarely to be met with in the writings of 
those who lay any claim to candour, as will appear by 
a comparison of Rand's quotation with quotations at 
large of what Tuke says on the subject. 

Rand's quotation : u So far as remission of sins, and a 
capacity to receive salvation, are parts of justification* 
we attribute it to the sacrifice of Christ." Tuke, (page 
42,) u So far as remission of sins, and a capacity to re- 
ceive salvation, are parts of justification, we attribute 
it to the sacrifice of Christ ; in whom we have redemption 
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins , according to the 
riches of his grace. Eph. i. 7." 

Rand's quotation : w But when we consider justification 
as a state of divine favour and acceptance, we ascribe it to 
the sanctifying operations of the spirit." Tuke (p 42) 
" But when we consider justification as a state of divine 
favour and acceptance, we ascribe it, not simply either 
to faith orworkst but to the sanctity in g operation of the 
spirit of Christ, from which living faith and acceptable 
works alone proceed ; and by which we may come to know 
that the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits*, that we 
are the children of God. Rom. viii. 16. 

1 ask any one to read Barclay (see Barclay's Apolo- 
gy, p. 28, 141, 202, 203, 205, 206, 207, 208) and tfaea 
5* 



54 

i/they can devise any language to set it forth more ex- 
plicitly or fully, I should be obliged to any one to make 
roe acquainted with it ; or if it does not comprise all 
that the scriptures declare the end of his coming to be 
— as an outward saviour, a full and complete atonement 
for sins past, that he might bring man to God, by and 
through his offering himself on the cro<*s. But he 
(Rand) says : "The Quaker writers, and he presumes 
their speakers, seem determined to know nothing 
among us, but Jesus Christ as a light and seed within." 
After their declaration so fully of their belief of the 
efficacy of his unbounded love, in offering himself un- 
to God as an atonement, the just for the unjust, through 
the shedding his own blood, as a Saviour without us 
— must it not be an arrogant assumption to conclude, 
that because they believe he is risen again from the dead, 
and is at the right hand of the Father, and hath, as he 
promised if he went away, sent us another comforter, 
even the Spirit of truth, that should lead us into all 
truth — that they overlook that which they so explicit- 
ly declare they believe the very foundation of their 
redemption ? 

That their writers generally agree to what has been 
quoted from the authority mentioned, he agrees, but 
eompiains of a want of repetition of the same truths t 
but I presume it will not be contended that a truth once 
clearly and substantially laid down would be much 
strengthened by repetition. But if Rand is sincere in 
his wishes for further explanation, or bis readers are 
desirous of further information on this subject, I refer 
him to Barclay's Catechism. Also to Barclay's answer 
to Wm. Mitchell, folio edition of Barclay's works, p. 78, 
vrhere he says: "Though originally the cause of both 
pardon and justification, both by the infinite love cf 



God, in which Christ was given, who offered himself a 
most sweet and satisfactory sacrifice, as a ransom, the 
atonement and propitiation for our sins ; but as to our 
being justified, it is by Christ and his spirit, as he comes 
in our hearts truly and really to make us righteous; 
which, because we are thus made, therefore we are 
accounted so of him, as the apostle plainly intimates 
in 1 Cor. vi. II. that it is by the Spirit of God we are 
justified. 

And in folio p. 528, in his piece called Quakerism 
Confirmed, Barclay says : M As for the satisfaction of 
Christ without us, we own it against the rocinians, and 
that it was full and complete in its kind ; yet not so as 
to exclude the real worth of the work and sufferings of 
Christ in us, nor his present intercession. For if Christ 
his intercession without us in heaven doth not derogate 
from his satisfaction, but doth fulfil it ; no more doth 
his intercession and sufferings in us." 

And in the same work, page 628^ Barclay says again : 
M Christ's outward suffe rings at Jerusalem were neces-' 
sary unto men's salvation, notwithstanding his inward 
sufferings, that he might be a complete Saviour in all 
respects. For it behoved Christ not only to suffer in 
the members of his body, butal*o in the head ; so that 
it is a most foolish and unreasonable consequence to 
argue, that because Christ suffereth in the members 
therefore he need not to suffer in the head ; whereas the 
sufferings of Christ in the members, are but a small part 
of what he suffered in the head, by being offered up once 
for all ; yet a part they are, as serving to make up the 
integral of his sufferings." 

And in the Apology, page 215, Barclay says again : 
41 1 suppose I have said enough already to demonstrate 
how much we ascribe to the death and sufferings of 



St 

Giiist, as that whereby satisfaction is marie to the jus- 
tice of God, remission of sin? obtains], and this grace 
and seed purchased, by and from which this birth pro- 
ceeds." 

In regard to what he (Rand) says of those incidental 
effects of our Saviour's death and sufferings, which did 
not belong to the atonement, I do not know but the 
world may derive great benefit from his explanation 
1 am apprehensive, however, that if he had left it a9 
the apostle explained it, and as the Quaker writers 
have left it, the world would have lost nothing by it ; 
since his brief statement seems rather an explaining 
away, than stating, the doctrines of the atonement. Af- 
ter he has done that, he wisely tells us " that it is all un- 
necessary : as he conceives it cannot be so well ex- 
pressed as in plain scripture language, u he suffered the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." 
But is it not arrogant in Rand to assert that there are 
many incidental effects of the Saviour s death, which 
cannot be properly said to belong to ihe atonement," 
when he admits in the same sentence, as follows : u tho 5 
they are all ascribed to his death in scripture," and then 
for reason adds, w because they are not the great object 
he had in view in pouring out his soul unto death." 
But I would ask what right has he or any other man 
(and especially those who take the scriptures for their 
only rule) to assert that those effects do not properly 
belong to a thing which the scriptures expressly as- 
cribe to it. So that it follows from his own admission, 
(in these words, " though they are ascribed to his 
death in scripture") that they are ail included in the 
plan of redemption for which he offered uiuseif, aftetf 
all Rand's attempts to divide it into parts. I think it 



69 

ness to them even while living in disobedience ; audi 
have no doubt if Penn met with such as endeavoured 
to propagate such an un?criptural and (may it not be 
said ?) blasphemous principle, he would combat it, and 
perhaps in the language there stated, and with great 
propriety too, since without faith, the scripture saith, 
it is impossible to please God, and without obedience 
there is n/> promise of justification, as I read the scrip- 
tures. 

But how Penn's saying, it is a great abomination to 
say that God should condemn and punish his innocent 
Son — that he having satisfied for our sins, we might be 
justified by the imputation of his righteousness — can 
confirm any thing he has asserted, I am at a loss to un- 
derstand, unless the doctrine of Christ's righteousness 
imputed, produceth justification without faith, obedience 
or repentance, which to admit, would, in my opinion, 
be as absurd as rank infidelity ; (but it ought to be ob- 
served that Penn confuted Mather's envious slander at 
the time, to the satisfaction of the candid.) 

He then says, " Now I have explained the doctrine 
of the atonement, I presume Friend Cobb will allow 
that his brethren overlook it ; if not, 1 am persuaded 
that my readers in general will be satisfied that they 
neither understand it, nor give it its primary place in 
the scheme of salvation." 

So far from his explanation being sufficient to con- 
vince Fr, Cobb, or any other candid person, that he ha* 
explained the doctrine of atonement, or that Friends 
overlook it, he has perverted Friends' belief respecting 
it, and even contradicted himself. It is true, after puz- 
zling himself to perplex his reader with confused idea* 
af our doctrine, he has quoted a text of scripture! we 



70 

always quote on the occasion and acknowledge to be 
the best account or explanation of the doctrine. 

But 1 close my observations on this chapter, after ob- 
serving, Phat with me it is a doubt whether his per- 
formance is not more from envy and self interest that* 
any concern he had about the orthodoxy of the princi- 
ple of Friends, provided they would have kept at what 
he would esteem a respectful distance from the people 
who purchased their divinity from his mouth : which 
no doubt arises, not only from what he says in his first 
chapter i4 he feels strongly tempted te state respecting 
Cobl/s friends in Gorham but forbears,*" but from his 
sarcastic mode of expression in many parts of his per- 
formance. 



CHAPTER V. 

Remarks on RantVs u General Vie-wP 

I now come to his 5th chapter, in which he says, "I 
shall throw my remarks into the form of a general 
view, which will include a brief recapitulation of sub- 
jects already discussed ," and he says, " 1 have atten- 
tively and I trust candidly examined several of iheir 
most approved authors." 

1 admit he has quoted some of their approved au- 
thors ; but I must doubt either his attention or candour^ 
or both, since it tvouid be doubting his capacity to sup- 
pose that he possessed the two former when we see 
such a production come out of such an inquiry ; and I 
presume any candid reader would join with me in opin- 
ion. For 

1. He says, "I can find, no account whatever 
•f the attributes and perfections of Jehovah but 



M 

stseh as shew (heir writers 1 confused perceptions, &e, 
Such for instance is their argument which, from the 
fact that God is love, excludes all manifestations of 
wrath or justice, from the mission and \\<rk of Christ." 

As respects justice, \ feel m}self hound to say, the 
assertion has no foundation of truth to support it; and 
until he can produce the author that has supported it, 
or endeavoured so to do, he must conclude to father it 
himself. 1 am willing to acknowledge for myself that 
I have seen no account of any wrath in his mission, nor 
did i ever hear it suggested hut from Rand, nor can I 
conceive where he gets it from ; since the account we 
have of him is, that he offered himself, and came as a 
mediator hetween God and sinful man, and also to inter- 
cede for him ; and whether I am mistaken or not, my im- 
pression always was, and still is, that his mission was a 
mission of love. It seems to he a novel idea to think of 
an intercessor with a commission of wrath, for it he- 
longed to his mission undoubtedly to offer himself to re- 
concile us unto his Father. 

I agree with him, that it is a first principle, "that we 
cannot with understanding have ' that fear of the Lord 
which is the beginning of wisdom,' or be reconciled to 
God, &c. until we have the knowledge of God." But 
it is to be remembered that in the course of his remarks 
he denies the means, and only means that the Saviour 
pointed out, by which God is to be known, viz. divine 
revelation. See Matt. xi. 27. and John vi. 46. " And 
no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither know- 
eth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom- 
soever the Son will reveal him." Note — he did not 
say to whom the scriptures (then only the Old Testa- 
ment) will reveal him. And I believe it would be 



72 

m rational to suppose, (hat the bare history of the re- 
velation he gave to his disciples, aposlles, and their fol- 
lowers, and recorded in the scriptures, independently 
of the immediate influence of the Spirit upon their 
mind?, could he a complete or sufficient revelation to 
us, as it woul 1 be to suppose, that giving a man a plan 
of an estate would give him a perfect knowledge of it. 
And I presume that this has heen the experience of ail 
that have come to a real saving knowledge of him. 

Yet il is meant hy no means to deny but thai the 
scriptures are used by the Creator as a means of en- 
lightening the human mind in the knowledge of himself 
and of his son Christ Jesus, whom to know is life eter- 
nal, according to scripture testimony : as there is no 
where any assurance of attaining to any of the promises, 
tut through faith and obedience, and taking up the 
daily cross and following Christ, in that meek, lowly 
and self-denying life, which precludes the doing of 
violence, or the rendering of evil for evil, and follow- 
ing that guide which he promised should lead his fol- 
lowers into all truth, and which according to the scrip- 
tures is Christ within man. See Col. i. 26, 27. Even 
the mystery which has been hid from ages and from 
generation?, but now is made manifest to his saints; to 
whom God would make known what is the riches of the 
glory of this mystery among the Gentiies ; which is 
Christ in you the hope of glory. 

All which Rand seems not to admit, and if so can 
have no saving knowledge of God, or the Lord and Sa- 
viour Jesus Christ. And this I state from his own decla- 
ration in the second part of his general view of tl e 
Quaker system, page 50. And this he states a>- against 
the Quaker light within, after repeating many things 



that if examined would be found to -have no fotindat 
©f truth in them. 

He says, " Bnt what substitute have they found '? 
(meaning for what he deems defects m their system) 
Why the light within, the seed, the new law, the law 
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus." Then he says, 
'• which is in fact nothing* more than natural conscience, 
an unenlightened conscience." And says, u Where this 
will lead to, without the scripture, I shall show in the. 
second part." 

How far this is consistent with scripture testimony 
may be judged from the following declaration of the 
apostle Paul : u For the law of the spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" 
Rom. viii. 2. Now, after Rand's declaration in con- 
tradiction of plain scripture, it will not be thought very 
strange, that he can find nothing that appears consistent 
in the Quaker writers ; and that he considers them 
mistaken in their construction of scripture, though they 
agree with the apostle, since his ideas are so far at va- 
riance with him. For I do not apprehend that it will 
be contended by many, except Rand, that this law of 
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has lost all its efficacy, 
and dwindled into an unenlightened conscience, since 
the apostle's day. 

2. After these remarks, I shall say but little on his 
2d division, in which he says, " I can find no account 
of any rule or law by which God governs the world* 
It is solemnly true that I can find scarcely an allusion 
to the law often commands, or any other of a similar 
nature." 

The only reason he did not find a recognition of the 
!aw in Barclay, which he had before him, was because 

7 



74 

he did not choose to look at it, a? may be abundantly 
ieen in his Apology, and in other authors And if he 
(Rand) intends any of his remark*, by way of illustra- 
tion of the law by which God governs the world, I 
would say to him, 1 do not think much has been done 
in this respect by those whom the world call divines ; 
as (Rev. Dr. Smith of Cambridge observed) they too 
often entomb rather than enshrine. And if such illus- 
tration is necessary, Rand certainly has done little to- 
ward supplying it. I do net know what more he wants 
of the Quakers, unless he would have them copy the 
outward law and ten commandments into their writings 
on every occasion ; but his intimation that according to 
them God has never given a law, and mankind have not 
transgressed, is only an imagination of his own. See 
Barclay's fourth proposition on the condition of man in 
the fall. As to our being under the curse of the Leviii- 
cal law, I presume we are not, if Christ answered the 
end of his coming, which i think few besides Rand will 
deny ; for he came to redeem us from the curse of the 
law, that we might come under grace. Gal. iii. 13, 14. 
w Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, 
being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is 
every one that hangeth on a tree ; that the blessing of 
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus 
Christ; that we might receive the promise of the 
Spirit through faith. And he says, 

3. " I can find no recognition of that guilt and ruin 
which the scriptures describe, into which we have 
fallen." 1 answer, when there is no transgression there 
is no falling into guilt or ruin, because it is only the 
soul that sinnetb that shall die, and the law is only 
transgressed by sin,*ad the Christian's law is with him 



75 

erei written in hie heart, and printed on his thought*. 
He then asks, " When do Quakers apply to Christ ae 
self-ruined sinners?" 

I answer, When they are made sensible that they 
are so by the Spirit of truth, which was to reprove the, 
world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment — (see 
John xvi. 8.) But we have no reason to believe that 
the Lord can be well pleased with those who are al- 
ways confessing and not forsaking their sins ; or that 
such are acceptable in his sight, or become heirs witk 
him. For what sort of Christians must those be, that 
have sinned all their days, and have never loved God 7 
or had one right desire for the knowledge of his ways ? 
Such indeed k may be well expected will know the 
terrors of the Lord. 

But it would be to me an idea very extraordinary t© 
suppose that Christians must be always acknowledging 
such things, when they had an evidence of his approba- 
tion, and could say, they knew the Lord liveth, and be- 
cause he liveth, they live also. And I am persuaded 
that no one, of any tolerable degree of real religious* 
experience, would question in this manner. 

4. His fourth is already replied to. 

5. In his fifth, Rand says, u I can find no description 
©f repentance, little statement of our need of it, and 
little allusion of any kind to the subject." 

I know of nothing which describes repentance better 
than amendment. It is not strange to me that he can- 
not find any great allusion to any thing consistent with 
truth or rationality, io all he reads in their authors ; for 
I believe in the adage, " None so blind as those that 
will not see." But I am satisfied that an unprejudiced 
reader would find no defect where he says he sees all 



defective. I rery much doubt whether any writings 
can be found that urge the necessity of faith and repent- 
ance, more than the writings of friends, or whether any 
persons can be instanced that preached it with more 
energy than Fox, Penn and their preachers do; of 
which any candid reader would be satisfied, were he to 
mike himself acquainted with them. 

For instance says Wm. Penn — " Before I leave this 
particular I must again declare that we are led by the 
Jight and spirit of Christ with holy reverence to confess 
unto the blood of Christ shed at Jerusalem, as that by 
which a propitiation was held forth to the remission of 
ains that were past, through the forbearance of God 
wnto all that believed : and we do embrace it as such, 
and do firmly believe, that thereby God declares his 
great love unto the world, for by it is the consciousness 
of sin declared to be taken away, or remission sealed to 
all who have known true repentance, and faith in his ap- 
pearance. But because of the condition, 1 mean faith 
and repentance, therefore do we exhort all to turn 
their minds to the light and spirit of Christ within, that 
by seeing their conditions, and being by the same 
brought both into true contrition and holy confidence in 
God^s mercy, they may come to receive the benefits 
thereof, for without that necessary condition it will be 
impossible to obtain remission of sins, though it be so 
generally promulgated thereby." (See vol. 2, page 
411, Penn's works.) 

8. He continues his complaint of what he can- 
not find, and observes, " A Quaker's sins seem to have 
been forgiven him before he was born, even when 
Christ died." 

But that this is a gTeat perversion of the doctrines vi 



the society will be manifest, by a perusal of the ex- 
tract from William Peon just cited, as also from Tuke, 
pa<?e 42, who says, fcl In attributing our justification, 
through the grace of God in Christ Jesus, to the oper- 
ation of Holy Spirit, which sanctifies the heart, and 
produces the work of regeneration, we are supported 
by the testimony of the apostle Paul, who says, " Not 
by works of righteousness which we have done, but of 
his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, 
and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Again, " But ye are 
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye*are justified, in the 
name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1? 
Titus iii. 5. and Corinthians iv. 11. And again Barclay 
says, " Forasmuch then as all men who have come to 
man's estate (the man Jesus only excepted) have sin- 
ged, therefore all have need of this Saviour to remove 
the wrath of God from them due to their offences ; in 
this respect he is truly said to have borne the iniquities 
of us all in his body on the tree, and therefore is the only 
mediator, having qualified the wrath of God toward us, 
so that our former sins stand not in our war, being by 
virtue of his most satisfactory sacrifice removed and 
pardoned. Neither do we think that the remission of 
sins is to be expected or obtained any other w r ay or by 
any works or sacrifice whatsoever ; though, as has been 
said formerly, they may come to partake of this remis- 
sion that are ignorant of the history, so then Christ by 
his death and sufferings hath reconciled us to God 
even while we are enemies ; that is, he offers reconcile 
atfon unto us ; we are put into a capacity of being re- 
cited; God is willing to forgive us our iniquities, and to 
accept us, as is well expressed by the apostle, 2 Cor. 
V. 19. God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto 



78 

himself, not imputing thin trespasses unto than, and hath 
put in us the word of reconciliation. And therefore the 
apostle in the next verses inlreats them in Christ's stead 
to be reconciled to God ; intimating that the wrath of 
God being removed by the obedience of Christ Jesus, 
he is willing to be reconciled unto them, and ready to 
remit the sins that are past, if they repent." See Apol- 
ogy, p. 203, or 217 of Philad. edition of 1805. Observe 
here Barclay makes it an express condition of recon- 
ciliation and remission of sins, that " tlvy repent." 
From which it appears that it is clearly slated by these 
writers that repentance from dead works, to serve the 
living God, true contrition and holy confidence, the 
washing of regeneration aud renewing of the Holy 
Ghost, are necessary, and without which it will be im- 
possible to obtain remission of sins, But Rand says 
further, (p. 91) " They do not view justification as an 
act of God in absolving them from guilt, and the curse 
©fthe law." 

But that this is not true will fully appear from our 
quotations frpm Barclay already made, whereby it is 
manifest that they do view justification as an act of God r 
in absolving them from guilt. But as to the curse of 
the law, it cannot be proved by scripture or otherwise 
that we lie under any such curse, until by actual trans- 
gression we bring ourselves under it, Christ having re- 
deemed us from that curse, agreeably to the testimony 
cf the apostle, Gal. lit. 13. Christ Irath redeemed us 
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us ; 
for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a 
tree. But that the incorrectness of Rand's statement 
may the more fully appear, I will quote from Barclay 
Jtarthei, Apol. page 226 or 240, " And we do not here - 



79 

t, v deity but the original and fundamental cause of oar 
ificatioa is the love of God manifested in the appear- 
ance of Jesus Christ in the flesh, who by his life, death, 
8 offerings and obedience made a way for our reconcilia- 
tion, and became a sacrifice for the remission of sins 
that are past, 1 ' &c. 

But he still charges the Quakers with not acknowl- 
edging it an act of grace in acquitting the guilty, and re- 
storing them to favour, because they say that justifica- 
tion is making righteous ; as though God would justify 
unrighteousness ; when all unrighteousness is sin, and 
abomination to the Lord. I have no wonder that he 
finds fault of the Quakers, for believing that the spirit 
of life enables them to fulfil the commands of God, since 
he is pleased to call it only an unenlightened conscience; 
but of the correctness of that opinion I leave the wise 
to judge, after comparing it with the apostle's testimony 
concerning it. Rom. viii. 2. 

7, He says, " 1 can find no clear description of 
faith ;" and quotes a detached sentence from Barclay ; 
when Barclay gives a full description there, both of the 
medium and object of faith, and of such as can only 
work by love. And here too he has miserably pervert- 
ed Barclay's meaning, making him to put what he (Bar- 
clay expressly calls the object of faith for faith itself; 
for he (Rand) says, M But wicked men have had this," 
that is the word or testimony of God speaking in the 
mind. True, wicked men have had the object of faith, 
but does it follow from thence that they had faith? If 
wicked men had not had the object of faith presented to 
them, would they not have been excusable ? for how 
can a man believe in that which he hath not seen or 
heard ? But it cannot be expected that I can transcribe 



ft 

all the Quaker authors, even thai he has quoted. But 
his work is calculated to deceive by detaching sen- 
tences, in order to mislead those that have not opportu- 
nity of reading them, and to discourage this reading, 
when they have opportunity, which appears to be his 
evident design throughout his whole performance. 

He asks, " Mow will the youth know, who read Bar- 
clay as their principal guide, whether they have ob- 
tained the like precious faith with Peter ? I answer, 
by a simple attention and obedience to Christ, that light 
within which is our principal guide* and in unison with 
the scriptures, to which Barclay so earnestly refers 
them, even the key of David which opens and no man 
can shut ; by which indeed they may come to a full as- 
surance that they are acceptable in the sight of God. 
" Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in u% 
because he hath given us of his spirit." John iv. 13, 
And again, chap. v. 6. It is the Spirit that beareth 
witness, because the Spirit is truth. 

8. He says, u We have already seen what ideas 
they have of regeneration." I presume since he has 
not pointed out better ones, it will not be worth their 
while to abandon them upon the uncertainty of getting 
more rational or scriptural ones from him. 

9. He says, they believe perfectien is attainable in 
this life. " He grants that Christians ought to be per- 
fect, and says no Christian will be satisfied without it." 
Yet still he will not admit that it is to be attained to. 
* ; Yet he says, Christians deeply lament, and abhor ; 
every thing that comes short of it." Now what an ab- 
surdity is this, that Christians cannot be what they 
ought to be and what God wills them to be ; and that 
they abhor all the rest of God's favours and merGies, 



because they fall short of one state they cannot attaia 
to ; although it id the will of God they should, and it is 
nothing: hut their remaining sinfulness that prevents ; 
thus plainly intimating that God compels them to sin, or 
at best will not give them ability to become what he 
wills them to be. 

Of the rest of this division I shall say nothing, only 
as respects a detached sentence from William Smith, 
an author I never read, but the expression seems so 
scriptural, that I should for myself say, it was incontro- 
Tertible. John ii. 25, 26. He that believeth in me, 
though he were dead, yet shall he live : And whosoev- 
er liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. And 
again, I am come a light into the world, that whosoev- 
er believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 
xii. 46. 

Who can admit that the believers, the children of 
Ood, are all miserable sinners? since the children of 
the devil can be no worse in their worst state j so that 
I thiuk it would be proper to answer his question, 
"Were scripture saints perfect ?"_Yes, if scripture com- 
mands were rational — " Be ye therefore perfect, as 
your Father which is in heaven is perfect," Matt. v. 
48 — If not, it would be placing the state of those un- 
der the gospel lower than the state of those under the 
law, or even of those before the law, because Job, 
before the law, was declared by inspiration to be per- 
fect. I presume it will not be contended that any en- 
ter the kingdom until they are purified from all defile- 
ment, and consequently are perfect ; seeing no unclean 
thing can enter the kingdom; and if so, I have found 
none except the Pope and his followers that would m~ 



a2 

dertake to tell how they attain to it, unless it is through 
faith and obedience. 

For satisfaction in regard to his other speculations on 
the subject, i refer the reader to Barclay, where I 
think he will find them scripturally discussed. 

10. He says, " We have seen how they dispose of 
the ordinances, which God hath ordained we should 
walk in them." And we have also seen how he has 
disposed of the ordinance professors in Christendom, 
who practise them as they say according to the exam- 
ple of the apostle. But because they do not think 
that so small a quantity of water will answer, as Rand 
does, and also think it unscriptural to administer that 
little to infants, which they think they have no scriptu- 
ral example for, (and I think not without good reason) 
he has renounced them with the Quakers, as not fit for 
Christian fellowship, or communion. But I am willing 
to leave ordinance professors to settle that question be- 
tween themselves, only observing, that they produce 
neither precept nor example for them in all Christ'8 
precepts or commands, unless they may be permitted 
to add water to every text they advance for the 
purpose. 

11. He has falsely asserted u That the doctrine of 
eternal rewards and punishments has little or no place 
in the Quaker system." I answer, that it will not I 
presume be expected that their authors can all be 
transcribed ; but any whe wish to read some of those 
he has quoted, particularly Fox and Pennington, will 
find his position without foundation of truth or justice ; 
and it is not strange, since the general scope of his per- 
formance seems to incline to misrepresentation. 

Wm. Penn, with several othersj soon after the for* 



«3 

nution of the society, in a paper entitled "Gospel 
Truths held, &c. by the people called Quakers," have 
expressly avowed the belief of the society in this re- 
spect, as follows : " It is our belief, that God is, and 
that he is a rewarder of all them that fear him, with 
eternal rewards of kappiness ; and that those that fear 
him not, shall be turned into hell. And they that turn 
not at the reproofs thereof, (viz. the principle of light 
and grace) and will not repent and live, and walk ac- 
cording to it, shall die in their sins, and where Christ 
is gone, they shall never come, who is undefiled, and 
separate from sinners. -5 ' 

12. Rand says, " It has occurred to me as an obser- 
yable circumstance, that their system affords no crite- 
rion to determine who are on the Lord's side ; by which 
any man may know of himself, or form a tolerable judg- 
ment of others^ whether they are believers or unbe- 
lievers. 

To this I say, God has placed in every heart a wit- 
ness, that will never deceive any, and by which he 
may know, whether his w T ays are well pleasing t@ the 
Lord. 1 John iii. 20, 21. — For if our heart condemn 
as, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all 
things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then 
have we confidence towards God. 1 John v. 10. — He 
that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
himself. Rom. viii. 16. — The Spirit itself beareth wit- 
ness with our spirits, that we are the children of God. 
And as for others, 1 presume there can be no better 
criterion to judge them by than Christ left himself, viz. 
as we should know false prophets, which come to you 
in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are rayening 
wolves; "ye shall know them by their fruits. Do me* 



n 

gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ? Even si* 
every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, hnt a co;< rupt 
tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot 
brwig forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring 
forth good fruit ; wherefore by their fruits ye shall 
know them.-' Matt. vii. 15, 1G, 17, 18,20. But he 
says, "Believers when translated into the kingdom are 
represented as experiencing no thorough change from 
the state in which all are placed." 

To answer this, I shall not undertake to prove "& 
negative ; but from the full conviction of the falsity of 
the assertion, I charge it upon him as such, and pre- 
sume it will not be improper for him to wear it, until 
he can produce such representation from any of their 
standard authors : for this apostolic doctrine is a funda- 
mental principle with the Quakers, so far as I have 
understood : u Therefore if any man be in Christ, he 
is a new creature ; old things are passed away, behold 
all things are become new." 2 Cor. v. 17. Now when 
this takes place, would any have need to go to Rand or 
the Quakers for evidence of grace ? And it has occur- 
red to me, that a man must be very assuming and self- 
conceited, that would presume to furnish better cnte- 
rions for outward evidence of who is on the Lord's side, 
than those which are left by Christ and his apostles, 
and recorded in the Holy Scriptures. And I presume 
it will not be thought treating him with harshness, 
when they are informed that he had this very text be- 
Fore him, quoted by Barclay to shew the Quakers' be- 
lief of a change, when he made this assertion; and if 
he did not, he ought to have observed it. 

We come now to his summary of the chapter, ia 
Which he says, " He would have it understood he has' 



S5 

formed his ideas from their books and oacasionat 
preaching aiid conversation, and not from any actual 
acquaintance with any in private life; and judging" 
from their books we must conclude, their God is all 
mercy." — (p. 54.) But I would ask, where has he 
shewn from their books, that they do not recognize 
God's justice, as coinciding" with his mercy ? and that 
he will not acquit the guilty? 

** Their moral law, what is right in their own eyes." 
I ask, where has he shewn from their books, that ever 
human reason was held up as a sufficient guide to form 
their actions by, or govern their morality ? 

"Themselves imperfect and liable to err, but not 
ruined sinners." Has he shewn from their books that 
they do not consider all sinners ruined, except they re- 
pent ? 

" Their Saviour a mere reformer." Has he told 
where they have once mentioned in their books, u their 
Saviour as a mere reformer ?" 

Their Scriptures of equal authority with the writings 
of Fox, Penn, and Barclay, but not equal to their own 
imaginations. 

In regard to the Scriptures, when he made that 
eharge, he had Barclay before him, as he admits, who 
declares, " That we account them, without all doubt 
or equivocation, the most excellent writings in the 
world' ' — and sa v ys further, u for as we freeiy acknow- 
ledge, that their authority does not depend upon the 
approbation or canons of any church or assembly, so 
neither can we subject them to the fallen, corrupt and 
defiled reason of man." Barclay's Apol. p. 68, or 82 
Philad. edition. And in page 98 he says, " While they 
abide in this natural and conupted state, that not only 

8 



8C 

their worjls apd deeds, but all their imaginations, are 
evil perpetually in t lie sight of God," Now, with this 
author before him, let the candid judge of his candour, 
or even good intentions, in thus representing them. 
Barclay, id page 19.6 or 210, says, Wk Cy which holy 
birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and work- 
ing his works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we jus- 
tified id the sight of God, according* to the apostle's 
words, u but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but 
ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by 
the spirit of our God.'" 1 Cor. vi. 11. ]S T ow does this 
appear, as though their regeneration was merely an 
improvement of good principles? or their justification 
a mere persuasion that they are right, without coming 
under the cleansing operation of that spirit, which alone 
is able to regenerate and justify ? 

And he says, " Their obligations just according to 
the movings of their passions.'" In reply to the last, 
1 only appeal to every one who has had an opportunity 
of reading almost any of their authors, to judge whether 
they have found any writings that so uniformly exhort 
to a subjugation of the natural passions and will of man, 
in order to be rightly taught what their obligations to 
God and man are, as those of the Quakers; or if it is 
made so constant a theme by any other preachers as by 
those of that society." 

" Their worship, thanking God they are not as other 
men." Now the first sentence of Barclay in his trea- 
tise on worship is this, (see page 3 14 or 358.) " The 
duty of man towards God lieth chiefly in these two 
generals : 1st. In an holy conformity to the pure law- 
and light of God, so as both to forsake the evil, and be 
found in the practice of those perpetual and moral pre- 
cepts of righteousness and equity. 2d. In rendering 



37 

that reverence, honour and adoration to God, that he 
requires and demands of us, which is comprehended 
under worship." Now if this is thanking- God that 
they are not as other men, then he has found it in their 
writiug?, and has a right to judge as he does. For this 
author he confesses he had hefore him, (as also Kersey, 
who has one chapter of 15 pages on worship, which if 
read will give an idea of Rand's disregard to truth, and 
gross misrepresentations of the Quakers.) It does m 
deed appear strange that a man professing as Rand does 
to he a minister of the gospel of truth, should so much 
degrade his profession and himself, as to make the as- 
sertion ahove alluded to directly in the face of all the 
authors he had before him, (and from which he pro- 
fesses to have obtained his knowledge of the Society) 
as well as in the face of every principle of truth and 
justice. And as to their fruits, although it ought to be 
acknowledged the Quakers are not iMy what they 
ought to be, I am willing they should be tested with 
Rand and those of his profession, and whatever balance 
appears in their favour let it go to their credit. 

And thus I close my remarks on his 5th chapter con- 
cluding that until he furnishes farther evidence of the 
books and preaching from which he collected those 
ideas, I have a right to consider him a man not regard- 
ing truth as he ought, but a calumniator, and one of 
those that Milton predicted would follow the true min- 
isters of Christ's primitive church: 



- u But in their room, 



u Wolves shall succeed for teachers ; grievous wolves, 

wt Who all the sacred mysteries of Heaven 

M To their own vile advantages shall turn, 

M Of lucre and ambition ; and tbfc truth, 

M With superstitions and traditions, taint : 

u Left only in those written records pure, 

(i Though not but by the spirit understood^ 



a* 



CHAPTER Vi. 

On Rand's " Concluding Address." 

Rand's chapter 6th and concluding address, I confess, 
would surprise, if not perfectly coinciding with all the 
scope of his performance. 

And first he say?, " I trust I shall not offend you, aftec 
this free discussion of your principles, if I address you 
as my friends." 

But surely in this confidence, he must suppose them 
to be remarkably divested of those tempers which he 
concludes even Christians and Ministers of the Church 
€>f Christ, may retain and exercise in defence of inju- 
ries even supposed to be intended. 

And next he says, " 1 am not one of those who enter- 
tain unfriendly feelings towards those who differ from 
them in principle." 

On this I will not comment, but leave the truth of it 
to those who read the work; but as I know that the 
hearts of men are exceedingly deceitful, and some des- 
perately wicked, I will not dispute but what he may 
think he has a good desire to 4 * bring principles to the 
test of scripture ;" and I conclude he is right in suppo- 
sing u you (the Quakers) will say you have already 
often compared them with the bible." 1 hope indeed 
none will be deficient in that important duty, nor be 
opposed to admitting a review. 

But his next question, " Have you not met with many 
scriptures quoted in these pages, which seem to mili- 
tate with some of your ideas? have I not given a fair 
construction to those scriptures ?" 

For myself I could answer, I have seen no scripture 
t<3 militate with the ideas of those that profess with 



me. t have seen constructions Which would alarm me 
to concede to, as much as it would to Mahomet's al- 
coran, particularly one I could instance, that the law of 
the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that made the apostle 
(and I helieve is sufficient to make others) free from 
the law of sin and death, u is in fact nothing- more than 
natural conscience, an unenlightened conscience;" 
and many others not 1 ss ahsurd. See page 50. 

Passing over several unimportant remarks I would 
notice, he says, a There must to your minds be some- 
thing unpleasant in the discussion, because my argument 
opposes some of your favourite principles." 

To which I reply — There is not any thing unpleasant 
to me in the discussion of principles, where there is a 
difference in sentiments, "because I agree to the obser- 
vation of one whom I esteem a wise writer, I think in 
these words, u objection and debate often sift out truth." 

His next proposition is, " But while you remember 
the discussion is a friendly debate, and not an angry 
dispute, undertaken for the purpose of investigating the 
truth, that we may all receive it, whatever it may be, 
you will be as willing to enter upon it as myself." 

He could not suppose that what he has written could 
have a candid perusal, upon any other ground than that 
his readers were more forgiving than himself. But to 
proceed. Although 1 should agree, that the scriptures 
were the only proper outward rule, to decide religious 
controversy by, yet I should suppose it as unnecessary 
to recur to them, to determine the truth, or falsehood, 
of many of his assertions, as it would be, if he should 
tell me at midnight, that it was the light of the sun I 
saw, and not the moon, when the moon was in plain; 
view. 

8* 



As to (lie controversy as respects matter of faith y I 
think the .scriptures quite sufficient for the decision of 
i(, and that enough has heen shewn to satisfy any orve 
t]\^t his positions cannot be proved by scripture, unless 
it is by construction ; and his constructions, being" deem- 
ed very strained and injudicious, will not be admitted 
by the people he is writing- to; therefore they will 
have no weight with them ; for one such construction 
or comment upon scripture, as has been remarked, 
would be sudicient to destroy a Quaker's confidence in 
the commentator, (see Rand page 50) however high 
he might stand as a school divine. 

The next question he asks, would also have the 
same effect ; which is, " Can you know you have that 
spirit? is there no danger of deception if you follow 
an internal guide ?" 

To the first I answer — It is very rational to conclude 
that we can know we have it, and that if we are mista- 
ken it is our own fault It is not rational to suppose, 
that he that promised, he would send the spirit of truth, 
to lead and guide us into all truth, would not furnish us 
with the means of knowing whether we have it or no* 
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that 
we are the children of God. (Rom. viii. 16.) And as 
to the second question, I answer, that pretenders may 
deceive others, but I should affirm, that none ever was 
deceived that did follow Christ within, the true guide, 
for Christ never deceived any. 

And while he admonishes others, he says, " taking, 
the same counsel to myself, holding myself ready to re- 
nounce any principle 1 hold when convinced it is net 
found in the sacred writings." 

I sJbtould think he ought seriously to reilect^ 



ai 

whether it is not time for him to be so Air convinced, 
as to renounce the antichrislian doctrine, u that the 
law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus is nothing more 
than natural conscience, an unenlightened conscience ; n 
for truly if his other construction did not too much cor- 
roborate this, I should have thought that it had been 
an inadvertent declaration, and would not have taken 
much notice of it, for the honour of Christianity. But 
since he has published the sentiment to the world, it 
seems necessary it should be reprobated, as it ought to 
be by all Christians, let their profession be what it 
may. 

He then goes on to pray for what he denies the ne- 
cessity of, as may be seen in this discussion (and so 
turns Quaker occasionally) " That the Spirit may opea 
our understandings to behold wondrous things out of his 
law." What occasion for this prayer, if the scripture is 
a sufficient rule without the Spirit ? Thus I will close 
the remarks on this chapter in the lines of Cowper: 

u From such apostles, Oh ! ye mitred heads, 

M Preserve the church ; and lay not careless hands 

4i On skulls that cannot teach, and will not karm ,> 



A 

BRIEF EXAMINATION, 

OF 

ASA RAND'S BOOK, 

PART II. 



CHAPTER I. 

RancTs Admissions to the point at issue — General Remarks 
on his first chapter. 

On his second part, or what he calls a vindication of 
the holy scriptures, as the sufficient and only guide, I 
shall endeavour to be as brief as possible. 

Page 57. I understand his position to imply simply 
this: that the power that influenced the holy men of 
old, who wrote the scriptures, has ceased to operate 
on the minds of Christians and followers of Christ ; and 
that whatever they do, with an apprehension that they 
do it under that power, or under the influence of the 
Spirit, they are mistaken. 

Now if this is the case, is it not necessary that he 
should tell us, by what name we should call that influ- 
ence by which we are actuated ? If it is said, that we 
act under the influence of the bible, then there is a 
power in the bible sufficient to enforce its precepts, 
and insure a perfect understanding of it; the contrary 
of which will appear from his own admissions, and which 
I will here arrange to save repetitions. 

Page 34. He says, " T»»at the word preached is 
able to save the soul, when it is implanted by the Holy 



93 

Spirit, as it is in believers, will not be doubted." A 
it acknowledgment, at least, that the efficacy is in 
the Spirit, and that without it there is no salvation. — 
Good Quaker doctrine. 

Page 41. u But the office of the Spirit is to reprove 
of sin, and renew the heart." — But if the scriptures are 
a sufficient and only guide" what need of the Spirit? 

Page 56. He prays, " That his spirit may open our 
understanding to behold wondrous things out oi his 
law." — This the Quakers contend for. 

Page 75. When speaking of the scriptures, "Its 
waters are pure when applied by the sanctifying influ- 
ence of the spirit." — Sound Quaker doctrine. 

Page 81. " Any man is enlightened when he reads 
or hears the truths of the bible, and especially when 
the spirit accompanies the word, arrests the attention, 
arouses the conscience, and reproves of sin." — Is there 
likely to be much light bestowed without the spirit thus 
accompanying it ? if not, all Barclay asks is granted^ 
and the controversy might be at an end. 

Page 82. " And because of that enmity , do not 
spiritually understand the truths of his glorious gospel." 
And so say the Quakers ; and hence the necessity of 
having those truths revealed by the sanctifying power 
and influence of the spirit. 

Again. t: I believe it is the work of the Spirit to re- 
prove us of sin, by the means of the scriptures; and 
when he renews the heart, all things become new ; be- 
cause the enmity of the carnal mind is slain."— And 
what is it that has slain that enmity ? the scriptures ? or 
is it the spirit in which the power and efficacy lays ? 

Page 83. He says, " When the heart turns or ra- 
ther is turned to the Lord, then the veil is rent from the 



94 

heart." — And agu'n it occurs, by what is the heart turn- 
ed, and the veil rent, and the new born sou! given to 
see the spiritual and moral excellence of holiness, and 
the exceeding sinfulness of sin? and what brings 
such a perfect remedy for their spiritual diseases, and 
applies it so appropriately, and comfortably to their 
Suuls ? or why say so much about the Spirit, and spirit- 
ual seeing? if the scripture has that ill -sufficiency 
wh}' not call them scriptural disease*, and scriptural 
seeing, and scriptura.ly applying these remedies to the 
soul? 

Page 85. {; Believers are led by the Spirit of God, 
because he lives in their hearts, and opens the under- 
standing to behold wondrous things out of God** law. 
1 Car. vi. 9. v — Tens Rand acknowledges to the very 
same means, by which the Quakers say the sc 
are to be understood. They never say that any ex- 
cept believers are led by the Spirit, because ail but 
believers reject hft teachings; and that is the pes 
that thej' are not thu* led, as God is not partial, but. of- 
fers it to all ; and therefore, as believers are led by it, 
so unbelievers are condemned by it, and this is a differ- 
ent operation between the two. 

Again he says, " When they are renewed by the 
Spirit, they are brought out of darkness, into the light 
of the scriptures. " Still attributing to the Spirit all 
(he efficacy or knowledge that can be derived from the 
scriptures ; since none can be benefited by them, while 
in darkness respecting them : admitting also they have 
the Spirit, even while in darkness ; for surely i( they 
had it not, it could not bring them out of the darkness ; 
which 3grees with scripture testimony. Joha i. S 



05 

And the light shineth in darknes, and the darkness 
prehendeth it not. 

Page 87. "The writers in question are even so in- 
attentive to distinctions, as to make none between in- 
spiration and the common awakening influences of the 
Spirit upon the impenitent," Here granting- what he 
\erting himself to disprove ; admitting that even 
the impenitent have the Spirit, and feel the awakening 
influences of it; and this admission of his extends even 
to infidels ; for they are but part of the impenitent. 
What the Quakers assert is, that it visits all by its a- 
wakening influences; and, as they attend to it, brings 
them out of their impenitence. For I presume that no 
one will dispute, that the intention of these awakening 
influences is to invite to come out of impenitence into 
the light of the gospel. 

Page 122. "Nothing is wanting for making the 
church the perfection of beauty but the sanctifr ation 
of the Spirit, and the belief of bible truth/' And here 
again it must be observed that the sanctification of the 
Spirit is the means to qualify for believing bible truths; 
still ascribing to the Spirit, the work of making the 
church the perfection of beauty. 

I cannot here leave this last quotation, without 
quoting further from his same page, that, by a compari- 
son of them, his gross and palpable contradiction of 
himself may -clearly appear, viz. " The Scriptures 
are abundantly sufficient for every useful purpose/ 5 
And again, "But we mean they (the Scriptures) are 
sufficient for all the designs of infinite wisdom, concern- 
ing the human race, till the end of time." — Now if 
these last be true, how can it be that "the sanctifica- 
tion of the Spirit' 1 u is wanting." for " making the. 



90 

fch tlie perfection of beauty ; w which surely he 
will not deny to be a useful purpose. 

Afterthifl statement I do not think it will be necessa- 
ry, nor indeed shall I take notice of many observations 
in his first chapter, believing it was not intended to im- 
ply that they were applicable to th«> Quakers. They 
seem rather calculated to provoke disgust, than to pro- 
mote edification or usefulness. I am willing to admit, 
that, so far as Rand's remarks go to impute tbe denial 
of the Scriptures to be the only or principal guide, and 
rule of faith and manners, they are applicable to the 
Quakers, who do indeed hold that doctrine. But it by 
no means follows from thence, nor can it be found in 
their writings that they have ever pretended that there 
has been inspiration or infusion of the Holy Spirit in so 
extensive a degree in the present as in the apostolic 
a°*e. For the portion or measure thereof was commu- 
nicated to them in a marvellous manner, in order for 
their qualification to promulgate and confirm the Chris- 
tian religion, which was just opened, and was then open- 
ing to the world, as also to establish the principles and 
doctrines thereof as contained in the New Testament. 
Therefore the effusion of the Holy Spirit was made 
appropriate to these great objects. But the Quakers 
hold, that a sufficient portion of the Spirit is given to 
leave all without excuse, whether favoured with the 
scripture or not, agreeable to that saying of the apostle, 
1 Cor. xii. 7. " But the manifestation of the Spirit is 
given to every man to profit withal." And where they 
have the serif Hires, to enable them to understand them ; 
which latter proposition I need not prove, as he has 
abundantly admitted it. And as to his charge of degra- 
ding the scriptures, -hi* illiberality will be manifested 



97 

by citing what Barclay pays on that head, which author 
ho had before him when he wrote. Apology, page 
€8 or 82. " For in that which we affirm of them, it 
doth appear at what high rate we value them, account- 
ing them without all deceit or equivocation the most 
excellent writings in the world, to which not only no 
other writings are to he preferred but even in divers 
respects no: comparable thereto, for as we freely ac- 
knowledge that their authority doth not depend upon 
the approbation or canons of any church or assembly, 
so neither can we subject them to the fallen, corrupt, 
and defiled, reason of man." 

But Rand says, 4; There are many who profess Chris- 
tianity, and would be received preachers of the gospel, 
who do not profess to derive their doctrine and senti- 
ments from the bible alone ; but who appeal for autho- 
rity to another standard, independent of the Scriptures, 
superior and more infallible." To which I reply, the 
Quakers profess to preach scriptural doctrine alone, and 
abjure all doctrines that do not bear the test of scrip- 
ture, as corrupt and anti-christian. They say indeed 
that men may be mighty in the scriptures, and yet 
need Aquiilas and Prisciilas to expound to them the 
way of God more perfectly, and therefore be very unfit 
for preachers ; for no mau knoweth the things of God, 
but the Spirit of God. See 1 Cor. ii. 11. But let it be 
observed, they submit all disputes to the standard of 
scripture. They say the aid of the Spirit is essentially 
necessary to preach the gospel; and I say that all who 
preach without it, and persuade themselves and others 
it is the gospel, are deceived and deceivers. All which 
is proved by Rand's own admissions ; see Rand, p. 34, 
where he says, " That the word preached is able te 

9 



save Ihe soul when it is implanted by the FfWty Spirit 
as ii is in believers, will not be doubted.-' This quota- 
tion is made merely to show Rand's admission of the 
point. 

I shall pass over hi* five sentiments in page 58, for 
brevity, and agree with h<m so far as that "The Spirit 
now inspires believers as truly as evor, and in ai! parts 
of the world, in harmony with the scriptures, and 
making u>e of them where they are enjoyed, and being 
in erory sense superior, as a guide in matters of re- 
ligion.'" As to there being no need of them, and call- 
ing them a dead letter, this is contradicted by the Qua- 
>cis' ) practice of sparing no pains to furnish themselves 
with them, as is well known by all who are acquainted 
with their families. And the reading and reverend at- 
tention to the scripture is abundantly recommended 
any enjoined in the Pusher Discipline, as appears by 
the following quotation from it, viz. " And, dear 
friends, inasmuch as the holy scriptures are the exter- 
nal means of conveying and preserving to us an account 
of the things most surely to be believed concerning the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, and the 
fulfilling of the prophesies relating thereto, we there* 
fore recommend to all Friends, especially elders in the 
church, and masters of families, that they would, both 
by example and advice, impress on the mind of the 
younger a reverend esteem of those sacred writings, 
and advise them to a frequent reading and meditating 
therein." 

The first assertion that the Spirit inspires believers, 
&.c. appears reasonable to believe from the promises in 
the gospel, and because he did reveal himself to the 
ancients hefore the law, viz. to Noah, Enoch and Abra- 



99 

ham ! and in Job's day inspiration is recognized, for 
Blihu says, in Job xxxii. 8, " There is a spirit in man, 
and the inspiration of the Almighty givelh them under- 
standing." All the prophets under the law had it, and 
we have no account of any but the false prophets that 
ever engaged in the Lord's work without it. And I 
conceive myself bound to believe that inspiration or 
the teachings of the spirit continues; for, besides the 
testimony of the scriptures, (see John xvi. 13) we have 
the united testimony of our forefathers in the reforma- 
tion to confirm it, such as Calvin, Luther, and even 
Huss, in an earlier period ; and in addition to all these 
we have it confirmed by Rand, notwithstanding his en- 
mity to it, as will plainly appear by his admissions as 
already quoted. And if it is continued ai all, it would 
be absurd to deny that it was continued in all parts of 
the world, because that would be contradicting the 
scripture, which declares u That God is no respecter 
of persons, kindred, tongue, or nation ;" and no doubt 
it is a great blessing to those that are favoured with the 
scriptures, to find this possession so harmonizing with 
the promises therein contained. That the inspiration 
of the spirit is superior to the scriptures is evident from 
his own concessions, for if it needs the spirit to live ia 
our hearts, u to behold wondrous things out of his law," 
then we could not behold them without it. 

He then says, p. 58, u The reader will observe ia 
this creed a recognition of the Scriptures, not indeed as 
the word of God, not as the only sufficient rule of faith 
and practice, but as a record of the word, a true histo- 
ry of r^al facts, and useful by the aid of the Spirit to 
those who are favoured with them." 

To thi3 statement I agree ; and first it is admitted, 



100 

that the scriptures are given forth by the inspiration of 
the spirit, and one would suppose that this would be 
sufficient proof that they must be inferior to it. Would 
it not be absurd to say of the thing formed that it was 
equal to him that formed it? And in addition to this we 
have Rand's own testimony in eleven admissions cited 
before in this work, (as may be seen) of the necessity 
of the aid of the spirit to understand and see the " won- 
drous things out of his law." For who can conceive 
that that which alone can give an understanding of the 
scriptures is not superior to them. 



CHAPTER II. 

Whether the Scriptures are u The Word of God. V~ 

I leave his farther considerations, and proceed to that 
of whether the word of God is, or is not, the most safe 
and proper appellation to be given to the holy scrip- 
tures ; after asserting it as my confirmed belief, that 
they ought not to have any other title than that which 
was given by angels under the law, by Christ while on 
earth, his disciples, the companions of his life, and the 
apostles. It is likely they knew what appellation was 
due to them, as well as any of our modern divines, 
whatever they may assume. 

1. By Angels — Dan. x. 21. I will shew thee that 
which is noted in the Scriptures of Truth. 

2. By Jesus — Matt. xxi. 42. "Je3ussaith unto them, 
did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the 
builders rejected, the same is become the head of the 
corner?" Now I believe this stone to be the very 
word. Mark xii. 10. — " Have you not read in this scrip- 



lot 

hire," fee, Malt. xxii. 29. — " Ye do err, not knowing 
the scriptures." Matt. xxvi. 54. — " But how then shall 
the scriptures he fulfilled ?" Mark xiv. 49.— " I3ut the 
scriptures must be fulfilled."" Luke iv 21,— " And he 
began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled 
in your ears." John v. 39. — ;; Search the scriptures, for 
in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are 
they which testify of me, and ye will not come to me 
that ye might have life. 55 John vii. 38. — " He that be- 
lieveth on me as the scripture has said." John x. 35. — 
" And the scripture cannot be broken." Thus it seems 
Jesus called them the scriptures and not the word of 
God. 

3. And now for his disciples, his immediate com- 
panions. "Mark xv. 23. — "The scripture was ful- 
filled." Luke xxiv. 27. — " He expounded to them in 
all the scriptures ;" 32 — " Did not our hearts burn 
within us, while he talked with us by the way, and 
while he opened to us the scriptures ;" 45 — " Then he 
opened their understanding that they might understand 
the scriptures." Just what the Quakers crare. John 
ii. 22. — " And they believed the scriptures, and the 
word which Jesus had said ;" now why did they not 
believe the word, and the word which Jesus had said ? 
xix. 37 — " And again another scripture saith, they shall 
look on him whom they pierced." Acts i. 16 — " This 
scripture must needs have been fulfilled ;" viii. 32 — 
" The place of the scripture which he read;" 35 — Philip 
began at the same scripture and preached Jesus ;" xvii. 
2 — " Paul reasoned with them out of the scriptures ;" 
11 — " These were more noble, and searched the scrip- 
tures daily;" xviii. 24 — "A Jew named Apollos, and 
mighty in the scriptures ;" 28 — " Shewing by the serip- 

9* 



[02 

lures that Jesus was Christ." Rom. iv. 3 — " What sailh 
the scriptures V 9 xi. 2 — "Wot ye not what the scrip- 
ture saith of Elias ;" i. 2 — "Which he had promised 
before by his prophets in the holy scriptures ;" x. 1 1 — 
" For the scriptures saith whosoever believeth on him ;" 
15. 4 — "That we through patience and comfort of the 
scriptures might have hope." 1 Cor. xv. 3 — u How 
that Christ died for our sins according to the scrip! ures;" 
4 — " Rose again the third day according to the scrip- 
tures." Gall. iv. 30— " Nevertheless what saith the 
scriptures ?" iii. 22 — "But the scripture hath concluded 
all under sin." 1 Tim. v. 18 — u For the scripture saith, 
thou shalt not muzzle the ox;" 2, iii. 11 — " All scrip- 
ture is given by inspiration of God ;" iii. 15 — " From a 
child thou hast known the scriptures." James iv. 5 — 
" Do you think the scripture saith in vain ?" 1 Peter ii. 
6 — " Also it is contained in the scriptures ;" 2, iii. 16 — 
" Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as 
they do also the other scriptures, unto their own de- 
struction ;" i. 20 — " No prophecy of scripture is of any 
private interpretation." 

Thus it appears that under the law it was not con- 
sidered that what was thea written claimed any other 
title than the scriptures of truth, and that our Saviour 
gave the bible no other while he abode in the flesh, 
and thirdly his twelve apostles learnt no other, nor 
lastly his apostles afterwards, but all gave them the ap- 
pellation of scriptures, scriptures of truth, or holy scrip- 
tures. By all which it appears to rr*e to be rational to 
consider, that that is their proper appellation: unless 
is can be shewn by what authority, and when the title 
Of them has been altered ; since, I think it will plainly 
*PP €ar > ^ e y never had in one instance any other title 



105 

up to the apostles' days. For those who profess the 
scriptures to be their only rule, to insist on an alteration 
contrary to the scriptures, appears to me to indicate 
that they do not adhere to their only rule, nor to the 
dictates of that spirit, that influenced the holy men of 
old to pen the scriptures of truth. 

And I will now undertake to demonstrate from the 
authority he quotes (to prove the bible the word of God) 
that there is not a single case in which it is clear that 
the bible was alluded to ; and that all the bearing they 
have as proof of his position arises from his construction 
of the testimony. 1 shall consider it here before noti- 
cing the objections he has stated and answered in order 
that the evidence on each side may appear the better 
connected. 

Admitting first that the law delivered by Moses to the 
Israelites were the commandments of the Lord to him 
to deliver, and that they received them as such; vet 
I presume it will not be contended, that they were the 
words of the Lord to any except the twelve tribes of 
Israel, but the word that w T as in the beginning, was and 
is the word to the utmost ends of the earth, and will 
abide forever. 

And now for his proof, first premising that the Qua* 
kers no where assume that the word cannot properly 
be used in more than one sense, but that it may signify 
many things. And also admitting it will be adequate 
authority, if he proves that inspired men, the Holy 
Ghost, the Father by a word from heaven, and Christy 
while he taught his disciples^ applied the word of G©d 
to the bible or holy scriptures. 

When speaking of it in page 68, he then says, " Let 
tlieaa therefore testify for themselves and give us their 



104 

title ; let us ask the bible, what saycst thou for thy- 
self? To all which I say amen. But instead of doing 
this he immediately goes on to make many positive as- 
sertions of his own, which if acceded to would decide 
the question without asking- the bible any thing about 
it. But he says, " The divine messages which now 
compose the scriptures are so called more than two 
hundred times, a few only of which can here be 
quoted." 

His quotations are as follows : — Deut. iv. 2. " Ye 
shall not add unto the word which 1 command you, 
neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may 
keep the commandments of the Lord thy God which I 
command you." And here I am not sorry to see him 
murder grammar a little, considering his claim to litera- 
ture, as perhaps it may cause my own illiterate per- 
formance to be viewed with more allowance. But it 
will be observed how soon he forgot his proposition of 
letting the bible speak for itself, and goes on to tell 
what the bible means ; speaking of the statutes, judg- 
ments and commandments, which God had given them 
by Moses, he says, " he evidently calls them the word," 
and not content with that, instead of letting the bible 
speak for itself, he finds it necessary, in order to apply 
it as evidence to his purpose, to tell us what it means, 
and says, " and as obviously means the word of God." 
Deut xxx. 14. "But the word (he adds "of God unques- 
tionably") is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, 
that thou mayest do it." Now if this meant the bible, 
why would it not have done to have told us, the bible 
was unquestionably in their hearts ? or if not, to have 
let the bible testified for itself agreeably to his own 
proposal. But he says, " Let Moses explain himself;" 



105 

ver. 11, 13. u For thi* commandment which I command, 
thee this daj', it is not hidden from thee, neither is it 
far off, 4-c but the word is nigh thee, &c." and then 
goes on to quote what Paul adds, u That it is the word 
of faith which we preach ;" but in it all it does not 
shew that it had any reference to the bible, but what 
arises from his owtr attestation, for surely Paul preach- 
ed Christ the word, as himself declared, 1 Cor. i, 23. 
u But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stum- 
bling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness." 

Let it be noted, thakthe word was with God in the 
beginning, and all things were made by him that was 
made, one and indivisible, without plurality. But it is evi- 
dent that the law given by Moses was made up of words 
and statutes, as may be seen in Deut. iv. 1. "Now 
hearken O Israel unto the statutes, and unto the jndg- 
ments which I shall teach you ;V — ver. 10, " gather me 
the people together, and I will make them hear my 
words ;" clearly admitting a plurality, which the eter- 
nal word of God did not. He was always a complete word 
from the beginning ; but to make up the bible there has 
been abundance added since Moses commanded not to 
add. From all which does it not appear that the eternal 
word was, and is, Christ, the power of God, that was 
with God at the beginning, by which all things were 
made, and was what Paul preached, and not the law 3 
nor the bible ? 

But he says, il David by the holy ghost, thus speaks 
of the covenant with Abraham, &c. concerning the land 
of Canaan." 1 Chron. xvi. 15. "Be ye mindful alway 
of his covenant, the word which he commanded to a 
thousand generations." 

Now! presume there it ao doubt the covenant, he*e 



its 

spoken of, was the words the Lord gave Moses to speafc 
to (hat people ; and that it was sure to them, and was 
fulfilled to a tittle. 1 likewise presume there is no one 
disputes, but God spoke through his prophets to his 
people under the law, and gave commandments that 
they were to obey ; that he has spoken by his apostles 
under the gospel, and that he still continues to speak 
by his servants. But who thinks that that which was the 
word of the Lord to them under theHaw remains in all 
instances to be the word of the Lord to us under the 
gospel ? From all which I conclude, it was the law 
that was spoken of in the old covenant, as the re- N 
mainder of the scriptures were not then written. It 
was Christ the word that Paul preached that had been 
with the Father from the foundation of the world, and 
was the power uf God unto salvation. 

He quotes Isaiah xJv. 23. " I have sworn by myself, 
the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and 
shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, 
and every tongue shall swear.' 1 He asks, u what word V } 
and I ask, what word? Was it the bible? I answer, 
no ; but the Lord our righteousness. See in ver. 24 what 
immediately follows, " surely shall one say in the Lord 
have I righteousness and strength ; even to him shall 
men come, and all that are incensed against him shall 
be ashamed." Now I conceive that this was that power 
to which every knee should bow, and they that were 
incensed against him should be ashamed ; and in ver. 25, 
!* And in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justi- 
fied, and shall glory.*' 

He then savs, in At the explanation Christ gave of 
the parable of the sower, Mark iv. 14, &c. this expres- 
sion, the word, is used eight times ; and Luke on the 



107 

tame lokject says, " the seed is the word of God," and 
gravely asks, tk Is Christ here meant, or the gospel mes- 
sage ?" I answer, that Christ is that seed as declared 
by the apostle, Gal. iii. 16, u now unto Abraham and 
his seed were the promises made— he saith not and 
to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed 
which is Christ." From- which I think there is svfB- 
eient scripture proof that the word there spoken of was 
Christ, and not the bible, and also that he did there re- 
present himself as the seed, and all that he there repre- 
sented was of himsplf. This agrees with Matt. xiii. 32, 
where he * c likened the kingdom of heaven to a grain of 
muMard seed ;" and Mark iv. 27, to u a vine." John 
xv. 1. " I am the true vine ;" and again ver. 5, u I am 
the vine, ye are the branches ; he that abideth in me 
and ! in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for 
without me ye can do nothing," 

I do not comprehend why he adds Christ after Lord^ 
since I have never heard it contended, that the Lord 
and Christ were distinct. But after inserting, Mark 
xvi. 1 9, 20, u so then after the Lord (Christ) had spoken 
unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat at 
the right hand of God, and they went forth and preacta- 
ed every where the Lord, (Christ) working with them 
and confirming the word," (why not the bible ? if the 
word here meant the bible; and if not, I do not see 
how it answers his purpose to prove that the bible is 
the word of God) " with signs following" — he then 
asks, u Is not the word the apostle preached made very 
distinct from Christ ?" and saj'S, " It was undoubtedly 
their gospel message which is called J-je word," and 
this was not their own, not the word of if en but of God." 
I agree that it was the message that was called the 



103 

word; but the question is, what was their message? 
was jt not their message to preach Christ the word? 
as appears by the following scriptures, Acts viii. 5. 
44 Thus Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and 
preached Christ unto them ; and ix. 20. " And straight- 
way he preached Christ in their synagogues that he 
is the son of God." And 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. But we 
preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling 
block, and imto the Greeks foolishness ; but unto them 
which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the 
power of God, and the wisdom of God." From all 
which it appears that they did preach the word, and that 
word was Christ, and cannot be rationally understood 
of the bible, as but a part of it was then published ; and 
besides they positively say it was Christ they preached ; 
and I presume none will contend, that they were sent 
to preach the law of the old covenant. 

He then says, " If the term word mean Christ alone, 
then we may substitute the term Christ wherever the 
other occurs ; let us make the alterations in a few pas- 
sages, and observe the result." I suppose it did not 
occur to him, that the question would apply as well to 
the mode of reading that might be adopted upon the 
supposition the word means bible. Let us make them 
as Rand has done in the same texts, and observe the re- 
sult. John xii. 48. Christ says, "The word (bible) 
that I have spoken, the same shall judge you in the last 
day." John xiv. 24. u fcHe that loveth me not, keep- 
eth not my sayings, and the word (bible) which ye 
hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." 
John xv. 3. tt Now ye are clean through the word 
(bible) which I have spoken unto you." John xvii. 
Jesus, praying for his disciples, says, ver. 6, "thine 



1M 

they were and thou gavest them to me, and they have 
kept thy word" (bible.) Verse 17, " sanctify them 
through thy truth, thy word (bible) is truth." Ver. £0. 
w Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also 
which shall believe on me through their word" (their 
bible.) 

But he says, "The apostles were to be preachers of 
the word or gospel of Christ, it was a message from 
God." I admit it, and then it was not the bible — they 
preached the word, " Christ the power of God, and the 
wisdom of God," Rom. x. 17. Rand says, " So then 
faith cometh by hearing (not by internal rovelation) 
(begging the question, and unscriptural) and hearing 
by the word of God" — that is, the power of God, for 
that alone can give faith, true faith, notwithstanding all 
the preaching in the world. 

Rand says again, 2 Cor. v. 19, Paul writes, "God 
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation ; the 
gospel message with which they were entrusted." 
That message was Christ the word, and that was the 
power of God unto salvation, and not the bible, the 
law. And Col. iii. 16. " Let the word of Christ dwell 
richly in you, in all wisdom." 

He (Rand) says, does the apostle mean the Christ of 
Christ? I ask, does he mean the bible of Christ? 1 
Thess. ii. 13. " For this cause also thank we God with- 
out ceasing, because when ye received the word of 
God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the 
word of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God." 
But he says, M He certainly meant his preaching here." 
Granted. But he asks, u Did he know truly it was the 
word of God. ?" I answer, yes, and that he did not 
give at a wrong name. But how does that prove any 

10 



110 

thing iii favour of its being thet>ible ? since the same 
apostle said that Ihej preached u Christ the word of 
God and the power of God?" They had no written 
gospel to preach to them ; and perhaps the old cove- 
nant, the law, and the prophets, were then only in scat- 
tered fragments, and surely had not passed the scrutiny 
of school divines, to determine which were, and which 
were not, canonical. 

Were it not for tiring the patience of my reader, I 
could easily go through with all the passages (and which 
I have done for my own satisfaction) Hand has cited in 
this chapter, and shew that the same construction might 
properly be put upon them, which 1 have already put 
upon those I have taken notice of. But by the manner 
Hand has treated the subject in this chapter, he has 
lowered it into a mere dispute about words, which is 
not by any means the thing* at issue. When the Qua- 
kers deny to the scriptures, the appellation of the word 
of God, they mean to deny that they are that indwell- 
ing word, that word spoken of by, John, (John i. 1 to 6) 
that word which is quick and powerful, aud sharper 
than any two edged sword, even to the dividing asun- 
der of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and 
is adiscerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 
And this denial of theirs results from their doctrine of 
the inward illumination of Christ, who is expressly call- 
ed the word of God, John i. 1, and Rev. xix. 13, and 
1 John v. It is this word of God that they deny the 
scriptures to be. Rand has admitted that Christ is call- 
ed the word of God, and therefore in that sense of the 
appellation the scriptures cannot he the word of God, 
which I apprehend to be all the Quakers ask or con- 
tend for; for if in the sense in which Christ is called 



Ill 

the word of God, the scriptures cannot be so called 
then in the sense in which Christ, or the comforter, is 
said primarily to be that which will lead into all truth, 
and teach all things, the scriptures cannot be so called. 
Here indeed the controversy might end, for if the scrip- 
tures are not that which will lead the children of God 
into all truth, without the aid of the spirit, and it is the 
will of God tint they should be so led, then the scrip- 
tures are not that sufficient and only guide. I will here 
notice the objections he has stated and answered, p. 65. 
4t lie finds it proper to state and answer some objections 
that are urged against the use of the term," and says, 
" those that have fallen within my notice are these : 

1. It is said the bible is composed of ink and 
paper; it may be torn to pieces or burnt, or decay by 
the ravages of time, but who can suppose this is the 
word of God, which liveth and abideth forever ?" He 
seems very desirous that this should be deeply engra- 
ven on his readers' minds, for he tells them in emphati- 
cal language, u Let my readers be assured this objec- 
tion has often been seriously brought forward. 

It ought to he observed, that is among his street 
picking, for he quotes no author for it, and I would not 
have noticed it, but for the novelty of his observations 
on it. 

He says, " on this principle, if the objector receives 
a letter from a distant friend in his own hand writing 
bearing undoubted marks of authenticity, let him give 
no heed to it, if it should contain the most distressing or 
joyful intelligence ; let him neither weep nor rejoice ; 
he has only to put the frail thing in the fire, and all 
remains as before he received it." 

Now to apply this to his purpose, will it not amount 



112 

to this — that the bible is the object of all our hopes 
and fears — that without it, or if we should be deprived 
of it, all our obligations cea«e, all the promises of God to 
us are at an end, and we are left in chaotirft desolation, 
since we have lost his written promise, and are to be 
noticed no longer by him ? This will be farther illus- 
trated by what follows, viz " If it contained the dying 
advice of a father, intended to direct him through life, 
and smooth his dying pillow, still let him only burn the 
letter, or tear it in pieces and scatter it to the wind, 
and he is free." Is not this assuming that all filial and 
fraternal affections, joys and comforts, are dependant on 
ink and paper ? 

He then says, u If the objector possesses notes of 
hand, bonds or obligations, against any of his neigh- 
bours they will not abide forever, nor is he sure thej 
will for a single day ; they are at best but ink and pa- 
per, and liable to be burned before they become due." 
Well, let him be that person who holds those bonds and 
notes — ask him whether the value lays in the promises 
and obligations, or in the promissors and obligators— 
whether, if accident or any unforeseen circumstances 
should deprive him of the ink and paper, which con- 
tained those obligations, he would give all up for lost, or 
if he would not apply to the promissors, with confidence 
that they would do him juustice ? if we may have that 
confidence in honest neighbours, how much more in Him 
who is the principal in all the scripture promises. The 
ink and paper are not the promises, but only a record 
of them, preserved for the comfort of believers, which 
ought to be highly prized. But he says, " On this prin- 
ciple the public acts of government, written or printed, 
are very useless things." Thus putting the immutable 



113 

laws and councils of the great arbiter of all things on a 
level with human institutions, as though our titles to the 
gospel blessings depended on written promises ; inti- 
mating, that because the promises of the gospel are not 
acknowledged to be greater than the promissor, they 
are disregarded. I find this idea is not original with 
Rand, for it was objected to R. Barclay by one John 
Brown, and answered by him (Barclay) as early as the 
year 1679, as follows, viz. " Yea the examples he 
brings of the acts and statutes of parliament do very 
well prove what I say ; for we do not submit to these 
statutes because of the matter in them, or things com- 
manded, but because of the authority commanding, 
For when the parliament by an act appoints a tax of so 
much money to be levied from the subjects, it is not 
the matter of this act that makes us obey it, but because 
of the magistrate's authority. But he saith they are 
divine revelations, and therefore must have the stamp 
of divine authority. Answer, the stamp of divine au- 
thority lies not in the things revealed, but in the man- 
ner of the revelation, as being the voice and manifesta- 
tion of God, else great absurdity would follow." 

But Rand soon puts it on its proper ground, and tells 
us where our safety lies : " Its truths are registered in 
heaven, and will be the rule of decision upon our eter- 
nal state when we stand before God." The Quakers 
say, that Chris!** the way, the truth, and the life, is in 
heaven, by whom we are to be judged^ and not by the 
scriptures : for the apostle says, Acts x. 42, it is he 
which was ordained of God to be judge of quick and 
dead. 

I will here observe, that I do »ot thus notice the 
statements and answers, for want of what I esteem suf- 

10* 



114 

nt evidence that the scriptures are not the word of 
God, both from the testimony we obtain from the bible 
under the law, and under the gospel, without resorting 
cither to the books or opinions of Quakers, or others of 
modern times. 

2. He says (page 66) " It is objected that the scrip- 
tures cannot all be the word of God, because they con- 
tain, in many places, the words of wicked men, and even 
of devils." And then he speaks of the calumnies of the 
Pharisees, v$*c. 

But I believe all Christian professors believe them to 
have been recorded by divine appointment, for the 
benefit and comfort of the church in after times ; but 
the question is (since the word of God was from the 
beginning, and was with God) is it now necessary or 
proper to take all those words, good and bad, as there 
recorded, to make up one great word, and call that the 
word of God, which was testified of thousands of years 
before those words were collected together ? 

3. He says, p. 67, " It is objected, that Christ is 
called the word of God, and it is improper to give that 
title to the scriptures ;" and in reply says, " 1 shall ad- 
mit that our Redeemer, among the variety of titles 
given him, to express his various offices, excellencies 
and glories, is called the word of God. He is so called 
in the first chapter of John's Gospel, in one of his epis- 
tles, and in the Revelations. I know 4* no other pas- 
sages in which it is certain this title is given to Christ { 
there are a few others which may be so understood, 
without evident violence to the sense." 

Again he says, " But this application of the term 
£oes not prevent its being applied to the scriptures. 



115 

lie then undertakes to assign a probable cause for this 
term. 

The question, however, does not rest on his proba- 
bilities, but is to be decided by tacts, and it will stand 
thus : Christ is that eternal word (hat was with the 
Father before the world began, or else he has altered 
his character : first, because the scriptures testify it by 
three witnesses ; second. Rand has admitted the three 
witnesses to be positive. It is then established from 
usage, as old as letters. The scripture saith, " out of 
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall 
be established." To these three positive witnesses, 
though sufficient to establish any fact however impor- 
tant, he admits in page 69 of eleven more. u If Christ 
is called the word of God seven times (certainly not 
more than twice seven) the divine messages which 
now compose the scriptures are so called more than 
two hundred times. A few only of these can here be 
quoted." 

I should admit, if he had quoted, out of his two hun- 
dred, fourteen positive witnesses, that they had ever 
claimed that title to themselves, that there was nothing 
decided, with respect to which the term belonged, wheth- 
er to Christ or to the bible, it must have been left still to 
be decided between them and it would have been estab- 
lished, that the bible had two proper names, either of 
which it might be called by, and both parties be accom- 
modated without farther debate. But, as is usual in select- 
ing testimony, it is probable he has taken care to produce 
the best he could find of the two hundred. On exam- 
ining them, there does not appear to be one positively 
to the point, although he does not seem to doubt them, 
but thinks they may be so construed as to answer his 
purpose. 



116 

These constructions do not appear admissible ; and 
one reason why thoy are not so, is because they arc 
contrary to his agreement to " let the bible speak for 
itself." He puts the question emphatically, " Bible, 
what sayest thou for thyself?" The Bible having been 
examined, more than forty witnesses have testified, that 
they have had no claim to any nanre but the scriptures, 
or at most holy scriptures, either before or since the 
Christian era : so that, taking his own witness and let- 
ting it speak for itself, according to his own proposition, 
it furnishes at most but circumstantial evidence. This 
appears plainly by his mode of managing his cause, 
whilst examining his witnesses. Of the very first he pro- 
duces, after taking the testimony, he says, u he is here 
Speaking of the statutes, judgments and commandments." 
1 presume in this he is correct; but if that proves that 
the bible was then the word of the Lord, then all that 
has been added since must be wrong, because contrary 
to the command which the witness says was then given, 
viz. a ye shall not add onto the word which I command 
you." It is very evident however that somebody has 
added all the books of the prophets, the psalms, and 
proverbs of Solomon, and all the books of the New Testa- 
ment ; therefore that which was added could not be in- 
cluded in that word. Farther to make the evidence 
apply he has to tell os" he evidently means the word of 
God." But in positive testimony there is no need of telling 1 
any body what it means. Thus he proceeds t© quote 
scripture, that no where proves that the bible may bear 
the title of the word of God, and that after admitting 
that the same bible gives Christ that title. I therefore 
presume that it is sufficiently proved, that Christ is the 
word of God, both from scripture and his own admis- 



in 

#jons. A thing once proved by positive evidence, can- 
not be disproved by all the circumstantial evidence in 
the world, without departing from a rule as ancient as 
time itself. 



CHAPTER III. 

Remarks on Rand^s third chapter, which he calls " Rea- 
soning for the inferiority of the scriptures^ in favour of 
new revelations, examined" 

I would premise, that if this chapter bore a little 
more of the appearance of a friendly debate, and not 
quite so much of artful invective, I think I could enter 
upon it with a little more pleasure than J now can ; but 
I must take it as it is. I shall leave others to judge 
whether he has made a judicious arrangement, in in- 
termixing the vague reports of other sects, not connect- 
ed with friends, with what he would have thought a 
friendly discussion with them, and proceed to consider 
his further remarks, when he says, u Barclay's first ar- 
gument for the spirit as a guide superior to the scrip- 
tures is in substance as follows : — fc The scriptures were 
themselves given by the Spirit; he must be superior to 
his own work, or word ; therefore the scriptures can- 
not be the principal ground and origin of all faith and 
knowledge.' " Here Rand has disingenuously stated 
Barclay's argument, in that he says, " Barclay's first 
argument for the Spirit as a guide superior to the 
scriptures," <$*c. ; for the fact is, Barclay first clearly 
proves that the teachings of the Holy Spirit are still 
continued, and that these teachings are the true founda- 
tion of knowledge ; and then the above argument comes 
ia as a regular link in the chain of reasoning. 



1(8 

But Rand says, " let us apply this argument to other 
cases ; I receive an account of events (I have not my- 
self witnessed) from a man of veracity, the account is of 
vast importance to my interest, and has an important 
bearing on my conduct, but the account itself depends 
entirely on my informer; he must certainly be superior 
to his own work or word, therefore the account is of no 
manner of use to me, at least I can make but little use 
of it, without having recourse every moment to its 
author." 

To this I reply, that I consider this reasoning calcu- 
lated to illustrte the truth of Barclay's position more 
clearly. Suppose him deprived of an interest, by some 
person to him unknown, and bis friend at a distance 
should get a thorougn knowledge of the whole circum- 
stances, and is in possession of evidence sufficient to 
enable him to recover it; his first step is to inform by 
letter that he is possessed of this knowledge, and can give 
the necessary evidence. What would follow ? Would 
he say I have got my friend's letter, and I have no doubt 
of the correctness of the statement; I will commence 
process, and recover my property, my friend's letter is 
quite sufficient for my purposes? Or would he not say, 
now this is a very valuable piece of information, it gives 
a knowledge of where my property lies, but if I don't 
take care to get my friend's testimony in court it will 
eventually be of no service to me, as the letter will not 
be admitted as evidence ; thus clearly shewing the 
writer superior to his letter. 

His second illustration I esteem equally illustrative of 
Barclay's position; it is this : u A master gives ail ne- 
cessary directions to his servant, concerning a parties 
far business, and for a certain time j during which timfc 



119 

le is absent, or has bidden the servant to expect no 
farther orders : how clear it is that these orders derive 
all their meaning, truth and authority from the master, 
and that he is himself vastly superior to his own direc- 
tions I What a fool must the servant be, to give any 
heed to his orders, unless his master is every moment 
at hand and giving new commands." 

Now Barclay's position is not, that those that are 
called to work in the master's vineyard, and are made 
sensible by the master's direction what portion or part is 
assigned to them, should be slothful servants, and delay 
doing their duty, because they were not every moment 
repeated. But there are many things with regard to 
their circumstances, which particular Christians may be 
concerned in, but for which there can be no particular 
rule had in scripture. 

There is aiso another consideration proper to be taken 
into view, viz. it is no uncommon occurrence for a mas- 
ter to give orders to servants, with a view to be absent a 
certain t;me, but afterwards it turns out otherwise ; in 
which case, masters think, notwithstanding the directions 
they have given, they have a right to take the conduct- 
ing of their own affairs into their own hands, and direct 
their servants as they please : and in this case, are they 
not superior to the direction they had written? Or if 
the master, after giving these orders, so that the serv- 
ant should think he had sufficient directions without 
looking for any thing farther, should by any means 
give him an intimation that it was his will that he 
should not proceed in that way, but do his will another 
way, he would he in no other situation than Paul and 
Timothy were in, when, Acts xvi. 7. the^r essayed to go 
into Bythany, but the spirit suffered them not, but 



126 

shewed them another way. Would it not in such a 
case be the duty of the servant to consider the master 
superior to his former orders, as Paul did ? It is not 
likely Paul essayed to go into Bythany without suppo- 
sing he had his master's direction. 

Band's next admission goes also to illustrate the 
principle held by those he is opposed to, viz. " If the 
servant wants explanation of orders already given, if ca- 
ses occur to which his orders do not extend, or it his 
master has given intimations that further directions 
would come, still he ma* apply." 

Now it is a principle with the Quakers, that the 
scriptures contain a system of the purest morality and 
religion, recorded for our instruction, as a general guide 
in our pilgrimage through this vale of tears, all of 
which are to be obeyed ; but to point out many partic- 
ular individual duties in religion, we are every day de- 
pendent on the spirit that the Saviour promised in the 
scripture that he would send to his followers, that 
shonld lead and guide them into all truth. That spirit 
is always sufficiently near, and we ought in all religious 
duties in an especial manner to seek to it as David said 
the righteous did in his day, Psalm exxiii. 2. " Be- 
hold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their 
master, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of 
her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God 
until that he have mercy upon us." If we take it upon 
us to perform religious acts in the strength of our own 
wisdom, and creaturely understanding, we only place 
ourselves in the situation of those to whom it was said, 
Isaiah 1. 11, "Behold! all ye that kindle a fire, that 
compass yourselves about with sparks; walk in the 
light of your fire, and in the sparks ye have kiodledf 



121 

-hall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in 
sorrow. 1 ' And none can serve the Lord acceptably, but 
br, and through, the aid of his Holy Spirit ; nor know 
what he requires of us, as filling up that which is he- 
hind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, for the body's 
sake which is the church, because if the apostle is cor- 
rect, as 1 Cor. ii. 11, " That no man knowelh the things 
of God, but the spirit of God," then a man might 
read the scriptures from youth to old age, and have 
them all by rote, and still without the aid of the Spirit 
bo ignorant of the things of God; all which I think 
Rand has admitted, in so often referring to the aid of 
the Spirit, to open the understanding, imprinting the 
word, applying the scriptures, fee.'" as has been shewn. 
But he says, again to use Ciarkson's similitude, u riv- 
ers and streams depend upon their fountains or springs ; 
the scriptures flow from the Spirit in like manner ; 
therefore, they are inferior." Eut he says, w Is the 
stream that runs by my dwelling no river to me, be- 
cause I have never traced it perhaps hundreds of miles 
to its source ? or because its fountain is hidden in the 
bowels of a mountain ?" Fallacious reasoning 1 but no 
doubt with an intention to insinuate, that the Quakei 
make no use of the scriptures because they do not ac- 
knowledge them the fountain of all knowledge : an in- 
sinuation which he knows to have no manner of trutfi 
in it, as he had Barclay before him, who says, page 68, 
w For in that which we affirm of them, it doth appear 
at what high rate we value them, accounting them, 
without ail deceit^ or equivocation, the most excellent 
writings in the world, to which not only no other wri- 
tings are to be preferred, but in divers respects not 
comparable thereto ; for as we freely acknowledge^ 

II 



let 

their authority doth not depend upon the approb* 
tion or canons of anj , neither 

can wo subject them to the fallen, corrupt and defiled 
reason of man : n which I presume give* them all the 
importance due to them ; as a stream flowing from the 
fountain of all good, and a brook hy the way, by whose 
promises many have been refreshed, and encouraged to 
seeK after the fountain that can supply all their wants. 
Pot he (Rand) sajs, "The truths of the bible flowed 
from the spirit, and are inferior to it in many respc 
but as a rule of faith and practice, they are superior to 
the Spirit,unless it he first proved that inspiration is still 
continued This is a stream of living waters, which 
makes glad the city of our God; its waters are pure, 
ttben applied by the sanctifying influence of the Spirit; 
they are Spirit and they are life. 9 ? It will be recollect- 
ed by the reader that Rand is here professing to exam- 
ine Barclay's arguments on this subject. Now if he be 
taken upon his own admissions, " that the scriptures as 
a rule of faith and practice are superior to the spirit ; 
unless it be first proved that inspiration is still con- 
tinued," he is bound, by every principle of justice and 
fairness in argument, either to grant the correctness of 
Barclay's previous steps in the argument, or to disprove 
them ; so that we may take it for granted, that the 
first proposition of that author is proved : as indeed 
every candid person who reads it must admit, grounded 
as it is on such immutable principles, as would argue a 
great deal of temerity to deny So then RandV contin- 
gency following his "unless" is proved, that is. " inspi- 
ration is still continued." The whole of Rand's argu- 
ment then on this point falls to the ground. Inspiration 
of the Spirit still continues, the scriptures are inferior 



tea 

to the Spirit, therefore u as a rule of faith and practice 
thej are not superior to the Spirit." This agree! 
with his admission in the same sentence, in two instan- 
ce^, viz. that they are inferior to the Spirit in many re- 
spects, and that, the sanctifying 1 influence of the spirit 
is necessary to their efficacy. Therefore none have a 
right to say this influence lias ceased, merely because 
they have it not, and have debarred themselves of the 
blessing of it by their own obstinate unbelief, and have 
undertaken to do the work of an evangelist without it, 
which to me is as preposterous a presumption as it was 
for the seven sons of Sceva, Acts xix. 16, " to under- 
take to cast out evil spirits by calling on the name of 
Jesus," whom Paul preached. And it will be well if 
in the end they are not overcome, and obliged to flee, 
naked and wounded. In the end fear will fall on all 
such, and the name of the Lord will be magnified. 

Christ promised his ministers positively, the very 
last words he spoke to them before he ascended up in- 
to heaven, Matt, xxviii. 19, 20, "Go ye therefore and 
teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the 
Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching 
them to observe all things whatsoever I have command- 
ed you : and lo ! I am with you always, even unto the 
end of the worrd. Amen." One other of his commands, 
and a last command, was, not to go forth in their minis- 
try until they were endued with power from on high : 
see Luke xxiv. 49. li And behold I send the promise 
of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Je- 
rusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." 
After all this, does it not belong to those, who deny in- 
spiration, to shew that the end of the world has 
come, before they assert that there is an end of the 
promise. ? 



1*4 

2. Page 75, lie quotes Barclay again a* saying, 
w The very nature of t be gospel itself deciareth that 
the scriptures cannot be the only and chief rule to 
Christians, else there should be no distinction betwixt 
the law and the gospel." 

But he (Rand) says, " This argument rests entirely 
on the gratuitous assertion, that the law was outward 
and carnal, and the gospel internal and spiritual."' Which 
assumption this author has not proved, as it assumes 
what we do not grant that there is no gospel preached, 
given or dipensed, until it be written in our hearts. 
Till it is proved, it will be sufficient to remark, that 
the argument fails with its foundation." 

For the first, I say, that the most solemn acts under 
the law were after the law of a carnal commandment, 
even the priesthood, if the scriptures testify correctly, 
as Heb. vii. 15, l<o, M And it is vet far more evident, 
for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth 
another priest, who is made not after the law of a car- 
nal commandment, hut after the power of an endless 
life." And again, says Paul, describing the rights and 
bloody sacrifices of the law, Heb* ix. 10, u which stood 
only in meats, and drinks, and divers washings, and car- 
nal ordinances, imposed on them, until the time of re- 
formation," and abundance more that might be quoted; 
but it seems to me almost insulti »g the understanding 
of a Christian, in this age of professed light, to quote 
*:criptnre to prove such things, who hag only read this 
o?\a scripture, Heb. viii. 10, 1!, u For this is the cove- 
nant that f will make with the house of Israel after those 
days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their 
minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be 
to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." 
This was foretold by the prophet Jeremiah txxi. 33* 



1 2 • 

it this shall be the covenant that I will make with the 
house of Israel ? after those days, saith the Lord, I will 
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their 
hearts, and will he their God, and they shall be my 
people," kc. And to Rand's other assertion, that there 
is no gospel given, preached, or dispensed, until it is 
written in our hearts, 1 only ask, can any man dispense 
that to others that he has not himself? or can any but 
Christians preach the gospel? seeing if they only say 
" the Lord livetb they swear falsely.' 5 Jer. v. 2, and 
1 Cor. xii. 3. " No man can say that Jesus is the Lord 
but by the Holy Ghost." But I will close with the 
words of John Calvin, one of his own theological mas- 
ters : " But they cry out, that it is not without great 
temerity that we so boast of the Spirit of Christ : who 
would believe that the sottishness of these men was so 
great, who would be esteemed the masters of the world, 
that they should so fail in the first principles of religion ; 
verily I could not believe it if their own writings did 
not testify as much." 

3. He says, u Barclay next degrades the scripture?, 
as a guide, below the Spirit, because they are not suffi- 
ciently full to point our duty in every case." I think a 
modest man would find a less uncouth term than de- 
grades, after reading Barclay's comment on the scrip- 
tures, and the rank he gives them among the writings 
published in the world, and which has been before in- 
serted to shew Rand's illiberality. 

One of Barclay's instances is, " that which of all 
things it is most needful for him to know, viz. whether 
he be really in the faith, and an heir of salvation or 
not." But Rand says, " God has clearly pointed out 
characters and persons, in the scripture : and compar- 

11* 



ing ourselves with this standard, we may ascertain.' 1 
But it mr^y lie timely here to observe, that notwith- 
standing his reluctance to the interference of the spirit, 
it ha- been so much in his way, that I should think his 
so often admitting it in his publication might put an end 
to the controversy, by granting* Barclay all he asks, viz. 
that the scriptures are not rightly, and with certainty, 
to be understood without the aid of the Spirit, and that 
the Spirit must be superior to the scriptures, as on him 
their certainty and efficacy do depend. Here also he 
furnishes additional testimony in favour of Barclay, viz. 
^'and he who searches the scriptures with a docile, 
prayerful spirit, may not long hesitate concerning duty." 
i would ask, in this prayerful spirit,who would he address 
his prayer to ? to the scriptures ? or to God, to give an 
understanding of the scriptures by his spirit? I think a 
proper answer to this would go far towards settling the 
question. But he says, page 76, 4i Barclay points out 
another method of ascertaining one's character. An 
office, for which he declares the scriptures so incompe- 
tent, he assigns to the Spirit." Rand then goes on to 
tell what the Wesleyan Methodists' platform states, 
with that of a number of other denominations, and 
ireats them with his accustomed illiberaiity, of which I 
shall take no further notice than to remark his conclu- 
sion, viz. That because there are some Judases among 
them, therefore no true disciples ; aud because Judas 
fell, the Spirit was an uncertain guide unto the rest. 
4. He instances Barclay as saying, 4t That cannot be 
the only principal or chief rule, which- doth not univer- 
sally reach every individual that needeth it, to produce 
the necessary effect. He then mentions deaf and dumb 
persons, children and ideots, as persons excluded from 
"*he saving efficacy of the scriptures !" 



127 

G'ion on Barclay's reasoning- on this Hi 
[ can refer them to his Apology, page 79, and I 
think they will be satisfied that Barclay's reasoning is 
sound and conclusive. !3ut one of his questions I can 
answer. I hare myself heard children, who have never 
been taught to read, nor had parents to teach them di- 
vine things, declare that they had a knowledge of 
Christ in their souls as a saviour, and pray very fervent- 
ly to him, acknowledging him as a saviour, that had 
made himself known to them. I have heard accounts 
of many others, which I did not disbelieve; neither do 
i believe, any one else will doubt that these things are 
so who knows any thing of true religion. Here I 
leave him, and others, to judge of what appears to me 
fallacious reasoning on the subject. 

But he says, page 78, M So that if a certainty cannot 
be attained by the scripture, (and I admit a possibility 
of deception, but only by our own fault) there is the 
same uncertainty in the decisions of their infallible 
Spirit/' & 

ISow I would ask if this is not in so many words de- 
nying the infallibility of God in his directions ? because 
the direction of God's infallible spirit is his own direc- 
tion ; who could have believed that he would utter such 
an expression, or doubt that there was such a Spirit, to 
which the scriptures bear such ample testimony ? 

5. Page 78, he says, " Barclay objects to the scrip- 
tures as a guide, because they have been so often trans- 
lated and copied, that we cannot be Gertain of their cor- 
rectness and accordance with what was first written." 
He says he has given a frightful account of the varia- 
tions, additions and erasures in the different copies, the 
saistakes of translators, transcribers, interpreters and 



123 

printers, evidently attempting' to make the most of 
them, a:id weaken the conscience of his readers in the 
inspired writings, lie has taken this course as fully as 
if he had been an infidel, an inveterate enemy of the 
truth and inspiration of the bible.'" But mark his reply: 
he say«, *Npw it is freely admitted that our version 
does not always give the sense of the original so clearly 
and definitively as it might ; that in some instances it 
gives an erroneous idea; that there are many slight 
differences among the various copies now extant in the 
original languages; and that in some cases it is difficult 
for the best informed critic, with the best means, to 
ascertain beyond a doubt what was originally written 
by the pen of inspiration." Rand, page 78.* And I 

* And he proceeds in aspersing Barclay, page 80, saying, 
• ; When a person reads the bible the Spirit informs him, by im- 
mediate revelation, waat is true and what is fal?e ;" and refers 
to a marginal note iu Barclay's 82d page for his evidence, tho 1 it 
be descriptive only of a special ca^e or ca>cs, there related 
by Baiclay of his own knowledge of persons "ignorant of the 
Greek and Hebrew ianguages, who, beinjpressed by their ad- 
versaries with some citations out of the biSie, and finding them 
to disagree with the manifestations of truth iu their own hearts, 
affirmed that the Spirit of G )d never said so ; which, on exam- 
ination of the original, he found were errors and corruptions of 
the translators ; and Barclay quotes \ugustin's sayings on the 
subject in the same and next page, to which the reader is refer- 
ed, where he will find the «aid marginal note, as follows: u Wrong 
translations of scripture discerned in the spirit, by the unlearned 
in letters ;" tne positive word (are) in Rand, being added by 
him, to make it appear the less like a marginal note, and more 
like a general proposition ; and to show the reader Rand's want 
of truth and candour in saying, as he does in his 80ch page, 
11 These are all the arguments produced by Barclay to prove 
that the scriptures are but a subordinate and secondary rule," 
it is proper to inform the reader, that, so far from being all Bar- 
clay's arguments, he has made eleven answers to objections of 
our adversaries, which contain twelve pages, from 83 to 94, a 
small part of which I here recite to shew that Rand's re ders 
have been imposed upon by his assertions, and also what Bar- 
clay's opinion of the scriptures was, In page 83 and following 



129 

would ask what Barclay has said to lessen the confi- 
dence of his readers in the inspired writings, that Rand 
has not confirmed. And not content with what Bar- 
clay has done, in page 91 he tells us, that that text, 
John i. 9, " That was the true light that lighteth every 
man that cometh into the world," admits of several 
different constructions, either of which is consistent 
with«soripture, and that it may be translated with equal 
propriety, " That was the true light which coming into 
the world enlighteneth every man :" and page 93 
quotes Titus ii. 2, 12, u For the grace of God that 
jringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching 
us," &c. This he says might better be rendered, 
; * The grace of God that bringeth salvation to ail men 
hath appeared ;" and still rinding fault with Barclay * 

the marginal note he says, ,; If it he then asked me whether I 
think hereby to render the scripture* altogether useless ; I an- 
swer, not at all. The proposition declares how much I esteem 
them ; and, provided that to the spirit, from which they came, 
be but granted the place the scriptures themselves give it, 1 do 
freely concede to the scriptures the second phv;e, even whatso- 
ever they say of themselves, which the apostle Paul chiefly men- 
tions iu two places, Rom, xv. 4, ;; Whatsoever things were 
writ leu aforetime were written for our learning, that we through 
patience and comfort of the scriptures mJ2:ht have hope ;" 
2 fun. iii. 15, 16, 17, u The holy scriptures are abie to make 
wi;e unto salvation through faith which is Jesus Christ. All 
scripture, given by inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, 
jor reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that 
the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every 
good work.'* — u The saints are made instrumental in the hand of 
the Lord to strengthen and encourage one another, which doth 
aL-o (erd to perfect and make them wise unto salvation.*' 5 Peter 
himself declare* this to be the end of his writings, 2 Pet. i. 12,13, 
" Wherefore 1 will not be negligent to put you always in remem-. 
brance of these things, though you know them, and be established' 
in the present truth \ yea 1 think it meet as long as I am in this tab- 
ernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance. 1 ' It was 
a fruit of Christ 1 ! ascension to send teachers and pastors for per- 
fecting the saints, so that the same work is ascribed to tfep 



1 3* 

from all which inconsistencies I shoulJ presum3 he haJ 
an idea that his pcrforrmnce would be read tfhiefly by 
such as his hearers, mentioned in his introduction, who 
he says would not hesitate to believe his declarations if 
he had read or heard any thing that they had not. 
He then goes on after all this to inquire, u Where then 
is the ground for the cavilling of the infidel against 
their correctness; and of what weight is the objection 
of Barclay ? I am aware indeed that those who make 
reason a guide superior to the bible scruple not to de- 
ny the authenticity of every passage, which will neit' 
er bow to the dictates of that omnipotent and absolute 
Judge, nor submit to be wrested frojn its obvious mean- 
ing: 1 

Now after asking the candid to judge, by comparing 
him with Barclay, which of the two are arresters of 
scripture, I shall pass over what he calls a mere mod- 
scriptures as to teacher?, the one to make the man of God per- 
fect, the other for the perfecting of the saint*' 5 — -nd thus .Bar- 
clay continues further on ten pages, shewing the great use of 
the scriptures under the influence of the Spirit, and removing the 
objections to the Spirit from whence they came being the prima- 
ry rule, declaring u that the errors that may be supposed to have 
crept in hy the injury of time are not such, but there is a suffi- 
cient clear testimony left to all the essentia s of the Christain 
faith." We do jacBfe look upon them as the only fit outward 
judge of controversy among Christian-, and that whatever doc- 
trine is contrary unto their testimony may therefore justlv be 
rejected as fal?e." u And we are very willing that all our doc- 
trine and practices be tried by them, which we never refused. 
nor ever shall in all controversies with our adversaries as the 
judge and test. We shall also be very wilting to admit it as 
a positive certain maxim, that whatsoever any do, pretending to 
the Spirit, which is contrary to the scriptures, be accounted and 
reckoned a delusion of the devil." If this and much m^re he. 
mentions be duly considered, Rand nor any other reader can 
justlj suppose that Friends, or Barclay who wrote for tnem, set 
lightly by the scriptures, or that they do not value them as fully 
as the original penmen intended they showld be, by their pev- 
iQtitj in the Christiaa faith. 



131 

em invention, presuming be does not mean to apply u 
lo the Quaker*, and I know not to whom it belongs. 

Page &0, be says, u It may not be useless lo inform 
the reader, how Barclay can make any use of a book &e 
full of corruptions, alterations and additions ;" and goes 
on to tell Barclay's solutions. I would ask in turn, how, 
after the additional inconsistencies he has found out, be 
can make use of such a book at all; and that too with- 
out any solution, and not only make use of it, but de- 
termine it superior, and more to be depended on, than 
the infallible Spirii of God. — But let us examine and 
see if the errors Rand has discovered and acknowledg- 
ed will leave them in so fair a -situation to be depended 
upon as a rule, as where Barclay left them, notwith- 
standing he (Rand) says, " Critics of very different the- 
ological sentiments have agreed in the acknowelg- 
ment, that the holy scriptures are in our day very en- 
tire." And I say, none more than Barclay and Tuke, 
and especially the latter, an author he had before him, 
who if the reader will take the trouble to examine, 
he will find has said more to establish the validity of 
the scriptures than Rand in his two sermons, and all his 
laboured u Word in Season .:" — As he says, " Now it is 
freely acknowledged that in some instances they do not 
give the sense of the original so clearly and definitive- 
ly as it might, and in some, even erroneous ideas. 
Would any considerate person suppose that it would do 
to stake bis all for eternity upon that, for an only rule 
of faith and practice, that was not only indefinite, but 
even erroneous? I presume none will accede to f] is # 
but rather agree with Barclay that the only onght to be 
left out, and the addition of (hat aid admitted by which 
alone they are to be rightly understood, They will. 



then be worthy to be esteemed the most exc< llent wri* 
ting* in tin; world, and able through faith in that reveal- 
ing power, which alone can give a light understanding" 
©f them, " to make wise nnto salvation."" 

I will now notice a few texts he has advanced, With 
his con: men ts on them, and leave the reader to judge 
of the consequences of following his constructions. 

The first is, Gen. vi. 3, u My spirit shall not always 
strive with man, for that he also is flesh," hut hand 
adds '''mankind. 1 ' Who gives him the authority to 
wake this addition ? And John xiv. 16, 17, where Christ 
promises his disciples another comforter, even the Spirit 
of truth, that lie might abide with them forever." 

He says, page 83, 4| These things Christ spake exclu- 
sively to his disconsolate disciples, the eleven apostles, 
just before he suffered. If that is to he admitted, then 
1he office of the comforter ceased with the eleven, and 
even Matthias could not be partaker with them, because, 
if he did, the position is unsound, and the influence of 
the comforter might extend to all Christ's follower* 
to the end of the world, according to the promise, 
which I believe has been the common understanding, 
and experience of all the true followers ef Christ : and 
I dr.ubt whether they will give up their hope in it, until 
he (Rand) convinces them he has some authority to de- 
ny them that consolation. But that the thing might 
not look too dismal, it seems he immediately grants it 
to them again, if I understand his language ; for he says, 
p. 89, w I grant he includes in the promise, the sancti- 
fying and comforting grace of the Spirit to them, and 
that this is common to all believers." 

Now if all believers have the comforting grace of 
t)\e Spirit, then they have the comforter, and I do not 



133 

understand what he is contending* for. The pfaiw 
language of the promise is, that it shall abide with you 
forever; and the plain definition is, through all lime. 
Yet if his position is correct, it ended seventeen hun- 
dred years ago, and Christians have been without a 
comforter ever since, which no real Christian will 
Relieve. 

In page 89 he goes on to tell what is plain, of which 
I shall take no other notice than this, that I hardly 
think his assertion will make it plain to sober thinking 
people, that it is so, for he immediately informs us that it 
only rests on a probability of his own suggesting ; and 
he seems to limit the premise of the blessing, to the lives 
of the apestles only ; as 1 believe it will not be con- 
tended that an u awakening of the mind,," &,c. to see 
its miserable condition, is any great source of comfort, 
until we know the comforter come, to deliver us from 
it See John xvi. 7, 13. Rand's comment is, " It i$ 
probable he meant that the Spirit would reprove the 
world, by the apostles 1 doctrine, and miraculous works, 
including perhaps (note perhaps) his awakening power 
in their minds and consciences." See page 89. Now 
what he admits here by his "perhaps" is gsod Quaker 
doctrine , for the awakening power of the Spirit is what 
reveals to them their condition ; and until that takes 
place, it is not probable the apostles' doctrine or works 
will be effectual. If the solution of those gracious 
promises rests on those probabilities and perhapse-f, 
what great benefit can the scriptures be to us as a rule, 
and only rule, that he contends for so mightily ? of which 
I shall inquire farther hereafter. 

He limits the gift of inspiration expressly to the apos- 
ties, because the text says, verse 13, 14, " He will 

12 



131 

;TJi ita you into all truth; ho shall receive of mine, and 
shall shew it unto you." Bat it s to he remembered 
that this limit depends entirely upon the position, that 
u forever " ended with the apostles; which I think 
hardly admissible. But he says, "much reliance has 
been placed on Acts ii. containing an account of the 
descending of the Spirit at the day of Pentecost,'' and 
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to 
speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them ut- 
terance." This he says " was imputed to drunkeness." 
Peter standing up with the eleven refuted the charge, 
and said, " But this is that which was spoken of by the 
prophet Joel, and it shall come to pass in the last days, 
(*aith God) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, 
and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and 
your young men shall see visions, and your old men 
shall dream dreams, and on my servants and on my 
hand maidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, 
and they shall prophecy. He says, I have heard this 
applied confidently to the visions, prophecyings, exhor- 
tations, and other wonders of the present day ; hut Pe- 
ter affirmed the prophecy of Joel was then fulfilled on 
the day of Pentecost/' But he says, u It is certainly a 
later period of time now; hut John calls his day the 
last time; this effusion of the Spirit was then confined 
to believers ; the multitude did not receive inspiration: 
we may therefore conclude the whole was accomplish- 
ed in the apostolic age. and that the predicted inspira- 
tion, gifts of tongues. &c. were confined to a few of the 
Jews, and other nations, for the propagation and con* 
firmation of the gospel/' I think it modest in him not 
to oblige us to conclude so. for I believe it would not 
4>£ perfectly ccrrrect, as I think will appear on examin- 



135 

\ug (he 38th and 30th verges of the same chapter, 
which run thus : u Then Peter said unto them, re- 
pent and be baptized every one of you in the name of 
Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall re- 
ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost* for the promise is 
unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar 
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall cali." If 
this is not unlimited, I would ask what language would 
make it so ? If it did not extend to a day future to that, 
then surely their children, and also all that were afar off, 
were all there present, as well a* all that the Lord would 
ever call. Of course, that was the last call, which pro- 
bably is more than even Rand- would be willing to assert. 
And if not, the promise was, and still is, to them that 
obey the call, to repent and be baptized in his name, 
viz. into the spirit of Jesus Christ, that they shall re- 
ceive the Holy Ghost. 

He then says, p. 90, 1 Cor. ii. 11, is quoted to prove 
the point in question. "Let the reader peruse the 
chapter, and he will find the apostle affirms his own 
inspiration, and that of his brethren in the ministry ; 
but distinguishes himself and them from their hearers 
and disciples, the Corinthian brethren.'" I apprehend 
bo one can read that chapter or the succeeding one, 
with any disposition to receive the truth, without coming 
to this conclusion, that the doctrine of the apostle was, 
that the Corinthian brethren were indeed inspired, that 
the Spirit of God dwelt in them, else they couid not 
have known the things of God, and the apostle's labour 
with them would have been vain ; for he says, in the 
passage referred to by Rand, 1 Cor. ii. 11, " For what 
man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man 
Xbich is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth 



I J 

rio man, bill the Spirit of God." What extinction could 
the apncile here make when he u«e« the word? " no 
man ? r ' Surely he could have made none at all. In 
the next chapter, verse 16, the apostle says again, 
M Know \r not that ve are the temple of God, and that 
the Spirit of G id dwelleth in von P 1 Did the apo«t!c 
here refer to himself and hi« brethren in the ministry 
rniy. or did he refer to the Corinthian brethren ? To 
the Ja'ter surely, to whom he then particularly ad- 
dressed himself 

What then becomes of Rand's distinction? It serves 
btcn no purpose at all in his denial of inspiration. It 
should he remembered, that he has denied in his book 
revelation even to the ministers of the gQ*pei, ac- 
v lodging that he himself had never been inspired, 
p 133 ; and yet te!I j the people be is M a teacher of the 
things of God./' which no man knoweth but by the 
f pirit of God. 

But he say*, page 90. there is a passage 1 Cor. xii. 7, 
which they deem explicit, and introduce to prove all 
men are inspired : " But the manifestation of the Spirit, 
is given to every man to profit withal ;*' and he 
says, ,c Indeed ihis sentence taken separately seems tc 
contain a universal affirmative ; we have however only 
:o look at the connection, and we find that the apostle is 
writing on the diversity of spiritual gifts 'among the 
apostles, &x. but he affirms nothing concerning a uni- 
versal possession of any such gifts even in the church.-' 
*-Let it be remembered, that the apostie had just be- 
fore, in verse 3, said, u And no man can say that Jesus 
:s the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." Do we suppose 
that Rand intended or means to say there are no child- 
ren that can come to the knowledge of Jesus suriicient 
*.% enable them tp call him Lord, evea in his church! 



The apo<=(ie there enumerates the diverge gifts. T 
would ask, by what the churches are to know the gifi3 
assigned them but by the Spirit. 

In page 91, he says, " There are some other passa- 
ges which do not fail under any of the preceding classes, 
but must not pass unnoticed ; some of them are the 
strong holds of our opponents. The first I shall exam- 
ine is, John i. 9, " That was the true light that lighteth 
every man that cometh into the world." This is con- 
sidered such decisive authority, and so frequently quo- 
ted, that Barclay allows 'that it has acquired the name 
of the Quakers' text." Hand then observes, " that one 
passage which admits of another explanation is not suffi- 
cient to overthrow the truth which is established by 
undoubted facts, and the general current of scripture. 
They would understand from this passage that every 
man, in every place, and in every age, has a sav- 
ing light from the Spirit of God or Christ. — It is 
not affirmed by John, however, that it is a saving 
light." Let it be observed, that the same John, iii. 16, 
17, says, " For God so loved the world, that he gave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
him should not perish, but have everlasting life ; for 
God sent not his son into the world to condemn the 
world, but that the w r orld through him might be 
saved." And John xii 46, "I am come a light into 
the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not 
abide in darkness." From these texts it may safely be 
considered a saving light; yet to get rid of it he has 
resort to construction ; a manner in which he finds no 
difficulty in getting rid of any scripture testimony that 
does not suit his purpose, or is in his way ; he goes in 
this instance even farther than construction, and tells 
12* 



ft how it may be translated ; it may, nj« he. he trans- 
lated with equal propriety, u That was the true light 
which coming into the world enlighteneth every man; 
thus rendered, the affirmation is general, hut not so u- 
niversal a 5 ? before." lie might have added — and of 
course will answer my purpose better. But he say?, 
" In either form, it may import no more than this • 
That his light is sufficient for all, and will in process of 
time fill the whole earth ; and that it no more proves 
that all man are savingly enlightened by him, than the 
7th verse proves that all men believe on him." It 
proves it as much as a positive assertion proves a thing 
beyond a doubtful and contingent proposition. He goes 
on again to tell us what it may only mean, viz. " It may 
only mean that whatever degree of light men have, 
whether acquired by reason from the things that are 
made, or from the doctrine of inspiration, is primarily 
froLi him as the creator of the earth and the heavenly 
luminaries, as the author of the intellectual powers of 
man, as well as the giver of the Holy Spirit." Thus 
he goes on to handle that sacred book that he tells us 
at least it is bordering on sacrilege not to call the word 
of God, and to acknowledge it as the only rule of faith 
and practice, so that if we should admit his perverted 
alterations of the translation to be correct, and to 
strengthen one cord ©f his argument, it must go just as 
far to weaken another. Who can depend on that as an 
only rule, that may mean what it says, or any thing 
else that Rand would wish it to. 

Before dismissing this matter, I will anticipate a text 
he has quoted, page 93, viz. Titus ii. 11, 12, "For the 
grace of God, that bringeth salvation hath appeared 
Sato all men, teaching us," &o. This he says might 



iJJ 

better be rendered, "The grace of God that bring 
sanation to all mm hath appeared," and c avs, "The 
salvation of the atonement of Christ is su ficient for all 
men where the gospel is preached." Note, here he 
proposes that the atonement of Christ depends on the 
contingency of whether men preachs or not. From 
what follows he would establish, that ail the world, ex- 
cept where the gospel has been preached, have been 
excluded from the benefit of Christ's sufferings ; al- 
though he declared by the apostle, 1 John ii. 2, "That 
he was a propitiation not only for their sin, but the sine 
of the whole world." A further consequence of Rand's 
doctrine would be, that myriads of souls that have gone 
out of the world, and are still to go 5 until men preach 
the gospel to them, are and will be deprived of the 
benefit of that love, in which Christ gave himself a ran- 
som for the whole world. Thus by his new translation 
and his construction, he supposes he has deprived the 
greater part of the world o{ the benefit of the atone- 
ment promised by Christ himself, prophecied of by the 
prophets, and testified of by his disciples, and recorded 
throughout his " only rule f* by all which he has, if 
he may be considered correct, rendered it a far more 
uncertain rule than he has wrongfully charged the Qua- 
kers with doing. If he may be allowed the liberty of 
making 'those aiterations,why may not others ask to have 
other alterations, to conform the doctrines of the gospel 
to each other, ihat there might not be so much difficul- 
ty to reconciling them to Rand's ideas ; for instance, to 
to have 2 Cor. xii. 9. read by adding the word no*, " my 
grace is not sufficient for thee, for thy strength is 710/ 
made perfect in weakness." Then the necessity of caj- 
tog ia the aid of the bible would be rendered far more 



I 10 

imperioifc. There are manj texts that nu?ht be alter- 
ed to Hdv io order to conform them better to the 
idea thai as a •• rale of faith and practice they are su*- 
perior to the grace or Spirit of God? 1 ' as declared in 
his work, p. 75. 

Seeing he lias quoted Barclay in the introduction to 
this passage, I shall quote him farther as follows. Pao-c 
174, sec. 21, " Secondly. That which comes in the 
second place to bp proved is, that whereby God offers 
to work this salvation during the day of every man's 
visitation ; and that i*. that he hath given to every 
man a measure of saving-, sufficient and supernatural 
light and grace. This 1 shall do, by God's assistance, 
by some plain and clear testimonies of the scripture. 
First, from that of John i. 9, That was the true light, 
which ligiiteth every man that cometh into the world. 
This place doth so plainly favour us, that by some it is 
called the Quakers' text; for it doth evidently demon- 
strate our assertion ; so that it scarce needs either con- 
sequence or deduction, seeing itself is a consequence of 
two propositions asserted in the former verses, from 
which it followeth as a conclusion in the very terms of 
our faith. The first of these propositions is, ' The life 
that is in him is the light of men ;' the second, ' The 
light shineth in the darkness ; and from these two he 
infers, and ; He is the true light, which lighteth every 
man that cometh into the world.' 

u From whence 1 do in short observe, that this divine 
apostle calls Christ the lighi of men, and giveth us this 
as one of the chief properties, at least considerably and 
especially to be observed by us : seeing hereby, as he 
is the light, and as we walk with him in that light which 
he communicates to us, we come to have fellowship 



141 

and communion with him ; as the same apostle saili* 
elsewhere, 1 John i. 7. Secondly, that this light shineth 
in darkness, though the darkness comprehend it not. 
Thirdly, that this true light enlighteneth every man 
that cometh into the world. Where the apostle, being 
directed by God's Spirit, hath carefully avoided their 
captiousness, that would have restricted this to any cer- 
tain nnmber; where every one is, there is none exclu- 
ded. Next, should they be so obstinate, as sometimes 
they are, as to say that this every man is only every 
one of the elect, these words following, 4 every man 
that cometh into the world,' would obviate that objec- 
tion. So that it is plain there comes no man into the 
world, whom Christ hath not enlightened in some mea- 
sure, and in whose dark heart this light doth not shine ; 
though the darkness comprehend it not, yet it 
shineth there; and the nature thereof is to dispel the 
darkness, where men shut not their eyes upon it. 
Now, for what end this light is given, is expressed 
verse 7, where John is said to come for a witness to 
bear witness to the light, that all men through it might 
believe; to wit, through the light, di auiou. which 
tfoth very well agree with photos, as being the nearest 
antecedent, though mo«t translators have (to make it 
suit with their own doctrine) made it relate to John, 
as if all men were to believe through John. For 
which, as there is nothing directly in the text^ so it 
is contrary to the very strain of the context. For, see- 
ing Christ hath lighted every man with this light, is it 
not that (hey may come to believe through it? All 
could not believe through John, because all men could 
Dot know of John's testimony; wheres- every man, be- 
mg lighted by this, may come there-through to believe; 



148 

John (Aided not in darkness; but this light shineth iq 
the darkness, that having dispelled the darkness, it 
miy produce and beget faith. And lastly, we must 
believe through that, and become believers through 
that, by walking in which, fellowship with God is 
known and enjoyed; but. as haih been above observed, 
it is by walking in this light that we have this commu- 
nion and fellowship ; not by walking in John, which 
were nonsense. So that this relative, di a:: f o>i, must 
needs be referred to the lights whereof John bears wit- 
ness, that through that light, wherewith Chriftt hath 
lighted every man, all men might come to believe. 
Seeing then this light is the light of Jesus Christ, and 
the light through which men come to believe, I think 
it needs not to be doubted, but that it is a supernatural, 
saving, and sufficient light. If it were not supernatu- 
ral, it could not proper!}' be called the light of Jesus; 
for though al! thing- be his, and of him. and from him; yet 
those things which are common and peculiar to our na- 
ture, as being part of it, we are not said in so special a 
manner to have from Christ. Moreover, the evangelist is 
holding out to us here the office of Christ as mediator, 
and the benefits which from him as such do redound 
uuto us. 

M Secondly, it cannot be any of the natural gifts or 
faculties of our soul, whereby we are said here to be 
enlightened, because this light is said to shine in the 
darkness, aud cannot be comprehended by it. IVow 
this darkness is no other but man's natural condition 
and state ; in which natural state he can easily compre- 
hend, and doth comprehend, those things that are pe- 
culiar and common to him as such. That man in his 
natural condition is called darkness. See Eph, v. & 



145 

* For ye were some limes darkness, but now are ye 
m the Lord.' And in other places, as Acts xxvi. 
. i. 3, 1 Thes*. v. 5, where the condition of 
man in his natural state is termed darkness; therefore 
I say this light cannot he any natural property or facul- 
ty of man's soul, but a supernatural gift and grace of 
Christ. 

" Thirdly, it is sufficient and saving. 
"That which is given, that all men through it may 
believe, must needs be saving and sufficient ; that, by 
walking in which, fellowship with the saints, and the 
blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin, is possess- 
ed, most be sufficient : 

u But such is the light, 1 John i. 7- 
"Therefore, &c. 
M Moreover: 

M That which we are commanded to believe in, that 
we may become the children of the light, must be a 
supernatural, sufficient and saving principle : 

" But we are commanded to believe in this light : 
"Therefore, kc. 

" The proposition cannot be denied. The assump- 
tion is Christ's own words, John xii. 3G, i While ye 
have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the 
children of the light' 

i; To this they object, that by light here is under- 
Stood Christ's outward person, in whom he would have 
them believe. 

u That they ought to have believed in Christ, that 
is, that he was the Messiah that was to come, is not 
denied; but how they evince that Christ intended that 
here, I see not ; nay, the place itself shews the con- 
trary by these words, 'While ye have the light/ aad 



144 

by the vcr^e going before, 4 Walk while ye Lave the 
light, test darkness come u^on you ;' which words im- 
port, that when that light In which they were to believe 
was removed, (hen they should lose the capacity or sea- 
son of believing-. Now this could not be understood of 
Christ's person, else the Jews might hav* believed in him, 
and many did savingly believe in him as all Christians 
do at this day, when the person, to wit, his bodi!y pres- 
ence, or outward man, is far removed from (hem. So 
that this light, in which they were commanded to be- 
lieve, must be that inward spiritual light that shines 
in their hearts for a season, even during the day of 
inau's visitation ; which, while it continueth to call, in- 
vite and exhort, men are said to have it^ and may be- 
lieve in it ; but when men refuse to believe in it, and 
reject it, then it ceaseth to be a light to show them the 
way ; but leaves the sense of their unfaithfulness as a 
sting in their conscience, which is a terror and darkness 
unto them, and upon them, in which they cannot know 
where to go, neither can work any ways profitably ia 
order to their salvation. And therefore to such rebel- 
lious ones the day of the Lord is said to be darkness, 
and not light. Amos v. 18." 

I will now return to p. 91 and 92, where Rand says, 
another authority of great weight with them is Col. i. 
23, 27 u Re not moved away from the hope of the 
Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached 
to every creature which i9 «nder heaven; this myste- 
ry among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope 
of glory." But he says, " To suit the purpose better, 
they translate thus, " which was preached in every 
creature. v I do not see but that the text is clear as * 
stands, since the strength of the position is, that every 



145 

creature under heaven, had it preached to them. Ngff 
tWs it appear to me a great assumption to go n elude, 
that it was in them, since Paul declares, ver. 2?, it was 
Christ in you the hope of glory. But he says, " There 
i* no difficulty in the 27th verse, for he was writing: to 
Christians, and it will not he denied that Christ was in 
them. The only question is, what did Paul mean when 
he asserted that the Gospel had been fc preached to ev- 
creatnre under heaven ?' There is no assertion of a 
communication to any, without the usual means." It 
appears that Paul well understood the means Christ 
had appointed in that day, as he informed the Colos- 
sians of it, and told them, to whom God would mafce 
known the riches of the g>ory of this mystery anion** 
the Gentiles ; which is Christ in you the hope of glory. 
Besides, the affirmation is, that it was preached to eve- 
ry creature under heaven, and it is well known that 
the apostles had seen but part of them, and perhaps a 
small part, nor had they ever heard of Christ's coming 
in the flesh. Of course it could not have been by out- 
ward means, and must have been by that inspeaking 
word of God, speaking in their souls ; or, as the apos- 
tle has it, Christ within, the hope of glory. If that is 
not inspiration, Rani may call it by what name he 
pleases, since it is clear the gospel was preached, or 
the text is not correct ; and if it is not, let him show 
better evidence than his pet hapses or 1 think his alle- 
gations are of little consideration. 

He next opposes himseJf,to Paul's declaration, see 
Rom. x. 14. "How shall they hear without a preach- 
er," &,c. And again he says, " Barclay says, ' They are 
answered by the 18th verse,' as if he had said the apos- 
tle asserts ift the 18th verse That many had heard 

13 



14% 

without a prenehrr, by the teaching or inspiration of 

the \UA\ Spirit.' 1 He says PauTs words are these, "But 
I Sajj have they not heard ? ye?, varily ; their sound 
went into al! the earth, and their words unto the ends 
of the world" Barclay's Apology, p. 184. u But the 
apostle Paul opens and illustrates this matter yet more, 
Rom. x. where he declares, ; That the word which he 
preached, (now the word which he preached, and the 
gospel which he preached, and whereof he was a min- 
ister, is one and the same) l is not far off, but nigh in 
the heart and in the mouth;' which done, he frameth 
a* it were the objection of our adversaries in the 14th 
and 15th verses. l How shall they believe in him of 
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear 
without a preacher? This he answers in the 18th 
verse, saying, 'But 1 say, have they not heard? Yes, 
verily : their sound went into all the earth, and their 
words unto the ends of the world ;' insinuating that 
this divine preacher had sounded in the ears and hearts 
of all men : for of the outward apostles that saying was 
not true, neither then, nor many hundred years after ; 
yea, for aught we know there may be yet great and 
spacious nations and kingdoms that never have heard 
of Christ nor his apostles as outwardly. This inward 
and powerful word of God is yet more fully described 
in the epistle to the Hebrews, chap. iv. 12, 13. fc For 
the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper 
than any two edged sword, piercing even to the divid- 
ing asunder of soul and Spirit, and of the joiuts and 
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents 
of the heart.' The virtues of this spiritual word are 
here enumerated ; it is quick, because it searches and 
tries the hearts of all ; no man's heart is exempt from 



147 

It: for the apostle gives this reason of its being- so in 
the following verse. 4 But all things are naked and 
opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to 
do ; aud there is not any creature that is not manifest 
in his sight. ' Though this ultimately and mediately be 
referred to God, yet nearly and immediately it relates 
to the word or light ; which, as hath been before prov- 
ed, is in the hearts of all, else it had been improper to 
have brought it in here. The apostle shews how 
every intent and thought of the heart is discerned by 
the word of God, because all things are naked before 
God ; which imports nothing else but it is in and by this 
word whereby God sees and discerns man's thoughts; 
ahd so it must needs be in all men, because the apostle 
saith there is no creature that is not manifest in his 
siT^t. Tnw rtfrru w iliac nurwnn wimwa auu ujccjocukrv 
of God that bears witness for God, and for his righteous- 
ness in the hearts of alt men : c for he hath not left himself 
without a witness," Acts, xiv. 17; and he is said to be 
given for a witness to the people, Isaiah Iv. 4. And as 
this word beareth witness for God, so it is not placed in 
men only to condemn them: for as he is given for a 
witness, so saith the prophet, he is given for a ieadec 
and commander. The light is given, that all through 
it may believe, John i. 7. for faith cometh by hearing, 
and hearing by the word of God, which is placed in man's 
heart, both to be a witness for God, and to be a means 
to bring man to God through faith and repentance : it 
is therefore powerful that it may divide betwixt the 
soul and the spirit: it is like a two-edged sword, that 
it may cut off iniquity from him, and separate betwixt 
the precious and the vile ; and because man's heart i» 
cold and hard like iron naturally, therefore hath God 



248 

placed this word in him, which is said to ho like a fire, 
and like a hammrr. Jer. xxiii. 20, that like as by the 
heat 6f the tire tiie iron, of its own nature cold, is 
warmed, and softened, and by the strength of the ham- 
mer is framed according to the mind of the worker; so 
the cold an. I hard heart of man is by the virtue and 
poweriulness of this word of God near and in the heart, 
as it resists not, warmed and softened, and receiveth 
an heavenly and celestial impression arid image. The 
most part of the fathers have spoken at large touching 
this word, seed, light, and paving voice, calling all unto 
salvation, and able to save." 

" Sect. 24. The third proposition which ought to 
f>e proved is, that it is by this light, seed, or grace, that 
Qod works the salvation of all men, and maoy come 10 

purchased by him. By the inward and effectual opera- 
tions of which, as many heathens have come to be par- 
takers of the promises who were not of the seed of 
Abraham after the flesh, so may some now, to whom 
God hath rendered the knowledge of the history impos- 
sible, come to be saved by Christ. Having already 
proved that Christ hath died for all, that there is a day 
of visitation given to all, during which salvation is possi- 
ble to them, and that God hath actually given a mea- 
sure of saving grace and iight unto ail, preached the 
gospel to and in them, and placed the word of faith 
in their hearts, the matter of this proposition may seem 
to he proved. Yet shall I a little, for the farther satis- 
faction of all who desire to know the truth, and hold it 
as it is in Jesus, prove this from two or three clear 
scripture testimonies, and remove the most common 



149 

as well as the more strong objections usually brought 
against it. 

u Our theme then haih two parts; First, that those 
that have the gospel and Christ outwardly preached 
unto them, are not saved but by the working of the 
grace and light in their hearts. 

"Secondly, That by the working and operation of 
this, many have been, and some may be saved, to whom 
the gospel hath never been outwardly preached, and 
who are utterly ignorant of the outward history of 
Christ. 

"As to the first, though it be granted by most, yet 
because it is more in words than deeds (the more full 
discussing of which will occur in the next proposition 
concerning justification) I shall prove it in few words. 
And first from the words of Christ to Nicodernus, John 
iii. 3. 'Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be 
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Now 
this birth cometh not by the outward preaching of the 
gospel, or knowledge of Christ, or historical faith in 
him : seeing many have that, and firmly believe it, who 
are never thus renewed. The apostle Paul also goes 
so far, while he commends the necessity and excellency 
of this new creation, as in a certain respect to lay aside 
the outward knowledge of Christ, or the knowledge of 
him after the flesh, in these words, 2 Cor. v. 16, 17* 
1 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the 
flesh ; yea, though we have known Christ after the 
flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new crea- 
ture, old things are passed away, behold all things are 
become new.' Whence it manifestly appears, that he 
makes the knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as it 
13* 



150 



wore the rudiments which young children learn, which, 
after they are become belter scholars, are ofless use to 
them, because they have and possess the very substance 
of those first precepts in their minds. As all compari- 
sons halt in some part, so shall I not affirm this to hold 
in every respect ; yet so far will this hold, that as those 
that go no farther than the rudiments are never to be 
accounted learned, and as they grow beyond these 
things, so they have less use of them, even so such a* 
go no farther than the outward knowledge of Christ, 
shall never inherit the kingdom of heaven. But such 
as come to know this new birth, to be in Christ indeed, 
to be a new creature, to have old things passed avvay^ 
and all things become new, may safely say with the 
apostle, ' Though we have known Christ after the flesh, 
yet now henceforth know we him no more.' Now this* 
new creature proceeds from the work of this light and 
grace in the heart ; it is that word which we speak of, 
that is sharp and piercing, that implanted word, able to 
save the soul, by which this birth is begotten ; and 
therefore Christ has purchased unto us this holy seed, 
that thereby this birth might be brought forth in u§ r 
which is therefore also called \ The manifestation of 
the Spirit, given to every one to profit withal;' for it 
m written, { That by one spirit we are all baptized into 
one body. 5 And the apostle Peter also ascribeth this 
birth to the seed and word of God, which we have so 
much declared of, saying, 1 Pet. i. 23. « Being bora 
again, not of corruptible seed, but ef incorruptible, by 
the word of God, which liveth and abide th forever. V 
Though then this seed be small in its appearance, so 
that Christ compares it to a grain of mustard seed, 
which is the least of all deeds,, Matt. xiii. 31, 32, and 



15! 

that it be hid in the earthly part of man's heart; yet 
therein i- 5 life and salvation towards the sons of men 
wrapped up, which comes to be revealed as they give 
way to it. And in this seed in the hearts of all men ia 
the kingdom of God, as in capacity to be produced, or 
rather exhibited, according as it receives depth, is 
nourished, and not choked : hence Christ saith, that 
the kingdom of God was in the very Pharisees, Luke 
xvii. 20, 81. who did oppose and resist him, and were 
justly acounted as serpents, and a generation of vipers. 
Now the kingdom of God could be no otherways in 
in them than in a seed, even as the thirty fold and the 
hundred fold is wrapt up in a small seed, lying in a 
barren ground, which springs not forth because it wants 
nourishment: and as the whole body of a great tree is 
wrapped up potentially in the seed of the tree, and 
so is brought forth in due season ; and as the capacity 
of a man or woman is not only in a child, but even in 
the very embryo, even so the kingdom of Jesus Christ, 
yea Jesus Christ himself, Christ within, who is the hope 
of glory, and becometh wisdom, righteousness, sancti- 
flcation, and redemption, is in every man's and woman's 
heart, in that little incorruptible seed, ready to be 
brought forth, as it is cherished and received in the 
love of it. For there can be no men worse than those 
rebellious and unbelieving Pharisees were j and yet this 
kingdom was thus within them, and they were directed to 
look for it there : so it is neither lo here, nor lo there, in 
this or the other observation, that this is known, but as 
this seat of God in the heart is minded and entertained. 
And certainly hence it is, even because this light, seed, 
and grace that appears in the heart of man is so little 
regarded, and so much overlooked r that so few know 



152 

Christ brought forth in them. The one sort, viz. the 
CalvinisN, i hey look upon grace as in irresistible pow- 
er, and therefore neglect and despise this eternal seed 
of the kingdom in their hearts as a low, insufficient, use- 
less thing as to their salvation. On the other hand, 
the Papists, Arminians, and Socinians, they go about to 
set up their natural power and will with one consent, 
denying that this little seed, this small appearance of 
the light, is that supernatural saving grace of God giv- 
en to every man to save him. And so upon them is 
verified that saying of the Lord Jesus Christ, ' This is 
the condemnation of the world, that light is come into 
the world, but men love darkness rather than light ; f 
the reason is added, c because their deeds are evil. 5 All 
confess they feel this ; but they will not have it to be 
of that virtue. Some will have it to be reason ; some 
a natural conscience ; some, certain reliques of God's 
image that remained in Adam. So that Christ, as he 
met with opposition from all kinds of professors in his 
outward appearance, doth now also in his inward. It 
was the meanness of his outward man that made many 
despise him, saying, 4 Is not this the son of the 
carpenter ? Are not his brethren and sisters among 
us? Is not this a Galilean? And came there ever 
a prophet out of Galilee ? ' And such like reason- 
ings. For they expected an outward deliverer, who as 
a prince should deliver them with great ease from their 
enemies, and not such a Messiah as should he crucified 
shamefully, and as it were lead them into many sorrows^ 
troubles and afflictions So the meanness of this ap- 
pearance makes the crafty Jesuits, the pretended ra- 
tional Socinians, and the learned Arminians overlook 
it ; desiring rather something that they might exercise 
their subtHty, reason and learning about, and use the 



153 

liberty of their own wills. And the secure Calvauists,tl»ey 
would have a Christ to save them without any trouble • 
to destroy all their enemies for them without them, anil 
nothing or little within, and in the mean while to be at 
ease to live in their sins secure. Whence, when all 13 
well examined, the cause is plain ; it is because their 
deeds are evil, that with one consent they reject this 
light : for it checks the wisest of them all, and the 
Iearnedest of them all ; in 9ecret it reproves them ; 
neither can all their logic silence it, nor can the secur- 
est among them stop its voice from crying, and reprov- 
ing them within, for all their confidence in the outward 
knowledge of Christ, or of what he hath suffered out- 
wardly for them, For, as hath been often said, in a 
day it strives with all, wrestless with ali ; and it 
is the unmeriified nature, the first nature, the old 
Adam, yet alive in the wisest, in the Iearnedest, 
in the most zealous for the outward knowledge 
of Christ, that denies this, that despises it, that 
shuts it out to their own condemnation. They 
come all under this description. fr Every one that 
doeth evil hateth the Jight, neither cometh to the 
light, lest his deeds should be reproved,' John iii. 
i'O. So that it may be said now, and we can say 
from a true and certain experience, as it was of old, 
Psalm cxviii- 22, Matt. xxi. 42, Mark xii. 10, Luke xx. 
17, Acts iv. 11. 'The stone which the builders of all 
kinds have rejected, the same is become unto us the 
bead of the corner.' Glory to God forever ! who hath 
chosen us as first fruits to himself in this day, wherein 
he is arisen to plead with the nations; and therefore 
hath sent us forth to preach this everlasting gospel 
anto all, Christ nigh to all, the light in all, the seed 



154 

sown in the hearts of all, that men may come and appjg 
their minds to it. AnJ we rejoice that we have been 
made to lay down our wisdom and learning (such of us 
as have had some of it) and our carnal reasoning, to 
learn of Jesus; and sit down at the feet of Jesus in our 
hearts, and hear him, who there makes all things 
manifest, and reproves all thing.* by his light, Epb. v. 
13. For many are wise and learned in the notion, in 
the letter of the Scripture, as the Pharisees were, and 
can speak much of Christ, and plead strongly against 
Infidels, Turks and Jews, and it may be also against 
tome heretics, who, in the mean time, are crucifying 
Christ in the small appearance of his seed in their 
hearts. Oh! belter were it to be stripped and naked 
of all, to account it as dross and dung, and become a 
fool for Chrises sake, thus knowing him (o Uaeci Lu**e 
in thy heart, so as thou mayest witness him raised there, 
feel th^ virtue of his cross there, and say with the 
apostle, ; I glory in nothing, saye in the cross of Christ, 
whereby I am crucified to the world, and the world 
unto me.' This is better than to write thousands of 
commentaries, and to preach many sermons. And it is 
thus to preach Christ, and direct people to his pure 
light in the heart, that God hath raised us up, and for 
which the wise men of this world account us fools; 
because by the operation of this cross of Christ in our 
hearts, we have denied our own wisdom and wills in 
many things, and have forsaken the vain worships, 
fashions, and customs of this world. For these divers 
centuries the world hath been full of a dry, fruitless, 
and barren knowledge of Christ, feeding upon the husk, 
and neglecting the kernel ; following after the shadow, 
but strangers to the substance. Hence the devil mat- 



155 

Ters not how much of that knowledge abounds, provided 
he can but possess the heart, and rule in the will, cru- 
cify the appearance of Christ there, and so keep the 
seed of the kingdom from taking root. For he has led 
them abroad, lo here, and lo there, and has made them 
wrestle in a false zeal so much one against another, 
contending for this outward observation, and for the 
other outward observation, seeking Christ in this and 
the other external thing, as in bread and wine ; con- 
tending one with another how he is there, while some 
will have him to be present therein this way, and some 
the other way ; and some in scriptures, in books, in 
societies, and pilgrimages, and merits. 

u But some, confiding in an external barren faith, think 
all is well, if they do but firmly believe that he died 
for their sins past, present, and to come; while in the 
mean time C hrist lies crucified and slain, and is daily 
resisted and gainsayed in his appearance in their hearts. 
Thus, from a sense of this blindness and ignorance that 
is come over Christendom, it is that we are led and 
moved of the Lord so constantly and frequently to call 
all, mvite all, request all, to turn to the light in them, 
to mifcd he ight in them, to believe in Christ, as he is 
in the^ ; and that in the name, power, and authority of 
the Lord, not in school arguments and distinctions (for 
which many of the wise men of this world account us 
fools and madmen) we do charge and command them to 
lay aside their wisdom, to come down out of that proud, 
airy, brain knowledge, and to stop that mouth, how 
eloquent soever to the worldly ear it may appear, and 
to be silent, and sit down as in the dust, and to mind the 
light of Christ in their own consciences ; which, if 
minded, they would find as a sharp two edged sword in 



1*6 

their heart?, and as a fire and a hammer, that would 
knock against anil Imrn op all that carnal, gathered, 
natural stuff, and make the stoutest of them all trem- 
ble, and become Quakers indeed; which those who come 
not to feel now, and kiss not the Son while the day 
lastetb, hut harden their hearts, will feel to he a cer- 
tain truth when it is too late. To conclude, as saith 
the apostle, all ought to examine themselves, whether 
they he in the faith indeed ; and try their ownselvts : 
for except Jesus Christ be in them, they are certainly 
reprobates, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. 

" Sect. 25. Secondly, That wlvch remains now to 
be proved is, that by the operation or this light and 
seed some have been, and may yet be saved, to whom 
the gospel is not outwardly preached, nor the history 
of Christ outwardly known. To make this the easier, 
we have already shown how thai Christ hath died for 
all men ; and consequently these are enlightened by 
Chri?t, and have a mea^-ure of saving light and grace ; 
yea, that the gospel, though not in any outward dispen- 
sation, is preached to them, and in them : so that there- 
by they are stated in a possibility of salvation. From 
which I may thus argue: To whom the go pel, the 
power of God unto salvation is manifest, they may be 
saved, whatever outward knowledge they want. 

u But this gospel if preached in every creature ; ia 
which is certainly comprehended many that have not 
the outward knowledge. 

" Therefore cf those many may be saved. 

w But to those arguments, by which it hath been prov- 
ed, that all men have a measure of saving grace, I shall 
add one. and that yery observable, not yet mentioned, 
viz* that excellent saying of the apostle Paul to Titos, 



157 

chapter 2. verse 11. 4 The grace of God, that brings 
salvation hath appeared to ail men, teaching a?, that, 
denying ungodliness and wordiy lusts, we should live 
soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world :' 
than which there can be nothing more clear, it compre- 
hending both the parts of the controversy. First, it 
testifies that it is no natural principle or light, but saith 
plainly, it brings salvation. Secondly, it says not, that 
it hath appeared to a few, but unto all men. The fruit 
of it declares also how efficacious it is, seeing it com- 
prebends the whole duty of man : it both teacheth us, 
first, to forsake evil, to deny ungodliness and worldly 
lusts; and then it teacheth us our whole duty. First, 
to live soberly ; that comprehends temperance, chasti- 
ty, meekness, and those things that relate unto a man's 
eelf. Secondly, righteously : that comprehends equity, 
justice, and honesty, and those things which relate to 
our neighbours. And lastly, godly ; which compre- 
hends piety, faithfulness, and devotion, which are the 
duties relating to God= So then there is nothing re- 
quired of man, or is needful to man, which this grace 
teacheth not. Yet I have heard a public preacher 
(one of those that are accounted zealous men) to evite 
the strength of this text, deny this grace to be saving, 
and say, it was only intended of common favours and 
graces, such as is the heat of the fire, and outward light 
of the sun. Such is the darkness and ignorance of those 
that oppose the truth ; whereas the text saith express- 
ly, that it is saving. Others, that cannot deny but it is 
saving, allege, this [a!!] comprehends not every in- 
dividual, but only all kinds ; but is a bare negation suf- 
ficient to overturn the strength of a positive assertion? 
if the scriptures may be so abused, what so absurd^ as 

14 



m.iy ROl be pleaded for from (horn ? or what so manifest 
a* may n^ f be denied ? Bu! vve have no reason to be 
staggered by their denying, so long as our faith is found 
in express terms of the scripture; they may as well 
seek to persuade us, that we do not intern! that which 
we affirm (though we know, the contrary) as make us 
believe, that when the apostle speak* forth our doc- 
trine in plain words, yet lie intends theirs, which is 
quite the contrary. And indeed can there be any thing 
more abstird, than to say, where the word is plainly 
[all] few is only intended ? For they will not have fail] 
taken here for the greater number. Indeed, as the 
case may be sometimes, by a figure [all] may be taken, 
of two numbers, for the greater number ; hut let them 
shew us, if they can, either in scripture, or profane 
or ecclesiastical writings, that any man that wrote sen^e 
did ever use the word [all] to express, of two numbers, 
the lesser. Whereas they affirm, that the far lesser 
number have received saving grace ; and yet will they 
have the apostle, by [all] to have signified so. Though 
this might suffice, yet, to put it further beyond all ques- 
tion, I shall instance another saying of the same apostle, 
that we. may use him as his own commentator, Rom. v. 
18. ' Therefore as by the offence of one judgment 
came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the 
righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men 
unto justification of life.' Here no man of reason, ex- 
cept he will he obstinately ignorant, will deny, but this 
simiiuive particle [as] makes the [all] which goes be- 
fore, and comes after, to be of one and the same extent.; 
or else let them shew one example, either in scripture, 
or elsewhere, among men that speak proper language, 
where it is otherwise. We must then either affirm that 



159 

this loss, which leads to condemnation, hath not come 
upon all ; or say, that this free gift is come upon all by 
Christ. Whence I thus argue : 

u If all men have received a loss- from Adam, which 
leads to condemnation ; then all men have received a 
gift from Christ, which leads to justification : 

M But the first is true ; therefore also thu last. 

fci From all which it naturally follows, that all men, 
even the heathens, may be saved : for Christ was given 
as a light to enlighten the Gentiles, Isaiah xiix. 6. Now 
to say that though they might have been saved, yet 
none were, is to judge too uncharitably. 1 see not 
what reason can be alleged for it ; yea, though it were 
granted, which never can be, that none of the heathens 
were saved ; it will not from thence follow, that they 
could not have been saved ; or that t none now 7 in 
their condition can be saved. For, a non esse ad non 
posse non datur sequela, i. e. That consequence is false, 
that concludes a thing cannot be, because it is not. 

u But if it be objected, which is the great objection, 
that there is .no name under heaven, by which salva- 
tion is known, but by the name Jesus :. 

44 Therefore they (not knowing this) cannot be saved ; 

41 1 answer; Though they know it not ou vvardly, 
yet if they know it inwardly, by feeling the virtues and 
power of it, the name Jesus indeed, which signifies a 
Saviour, to free them from sin and iniquity in their 
hearts, they are saved by it ; I confess there is no 
other name to be saved by : but salvation lieth not in 
the literal, but in the experimental knowledge : albeit, 
those that have the literal knowledge are not saved by 
it, without this real experimental knowledge : yet those 
that have the real knowledge may be saved without 
the external : as by the arguments hereafter brought 



16* 

will more appear. For if the outward distinct know- 
ledge of him, by whose means I receive benefit, were 
nocessary for me before 1 could reap anj fruit of it ; 
then, by the rule of contraries, it would follow, that I 
could receive no hurt, without I had also the distinct 
knowledge of him that occasioned it ; whereas experi- 
ence proves the contrary. How rnanv are injured by 
Adam's fall, that know nothing of there ever being 
such a man in the world, or of his eating the forbiddea 
fruit? Why may they not then he saved by the gift 
and grace of Christ in them, making them righteous 
•and holy, though they know not distinctly how that 
was purchased unto them by the death and sufferings 
of Jesus that was crucified at Jerusalem ; especially 
seeing God hath made that knowledge simply impossi- 
ble to them ? As many men are killed by poison in- 
fused into their meat, though they neither know what 
the poison was, nor who infused it; so also on the other 
band, how many are cured of their diseases by good 
remedies, who know not how the medicine is prepared, 
what the ingredients are, nor oftentimes who made it? 
The like may also hold in spiritual things, as we shall 
hereafter prove." 

After a number of comments, which I think of little 
consequence, Rand says, " still it is manifest he means 
the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles, and other 
labourers in the vineyard." But the question again 
comes up by what is it manifest? since I think it would 
not do to admit Rand's testimony, again&t all probability, 
which we must in that case, if we admit it at all* 
Leaving what he «ays of Job's inspiration, let us exam- 
ine what he has to say respecting Cornelius, when he 
sent for Peter. After what is related of what transpir* 



n the 10th chapter of Acts to perceive him <!o*jbi. - 
i\ g of Cornelius' inspiration, I think, would be astonish- 
ing in any other person but himself, when the text 
savs, verse 3. " Me saw in a vision evidently about the 
ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming unto him 
and saying unto him Cornelius, and when he looked on 
him he was afraid and said, what is it Lord ? and he 
said thy prayer, and thine alms, are come up for a me- 
morial before God, and now send men to Joppa, and 
call for one Simon whose sirname is Peter ; he lodgeth 
with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea- 
side. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 
And when the angel which s^ake unto Cornelius was 
departed, he calkd two of his servants, and a devout 
soldier that waited on him continually, and when he 
had declared all these things unto them he sent them 
to Joppa.*" And verse 22. u The servants say to Pe- 
ter, Cornelius the centurion a just man and one that 
feareth God and of good report among all the nations of 
the Jews, was warned of God by an holy angel to send 
for thee into his hou.se, and to hear words of thee/ 5 
And when Peter came, Cornelius relates the manner 
of the vision to him, verses 30, 31, 32. "Four days 
ago, I was fasting unto this hour, and at the ninth hour 
I prayed in my house, and behold a man stood before 
me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer 
is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the 
sight ot God, send therefore to Joppa, and call hither 
Simon whose R irname is Peter, he is lodged in the 
house of one Simon, a tanner, by the sea-side, who 
when he cometh shall speak unto thee." 

After all this Rand seems to doubt the inspiration* 
saying, "But if he had been inspired it would seeta no* 

14* 



1G2 

necessary for him to have sent tor the apostle, " forget- 
ting what he frequently hefore asserted in his discus- 
sion*, "That God has a right to appoint what means he 
pleases."' But notwithstanding his doubts let any one 
the KHh chapter of Acts and then judge for him- 
self whether he thinfcs f ither Peter or Cornelius had 
any doubt of Cornelius' inspiration. 

Indeed whatever plausibility there might be in any 
of his other arguments, this seems to me sufficient to 
put an end to any rational doubt, that he is testifying of 
things that he knows not of. 

And thus having examined his 3d chapter, 2d part, 
I will leave it, after suggesting the propriety (if he ex- 
pects to be believed) of supporting his arguments by 
substantial scripture testimony, and informing him that 
all his readers will not be likely to be of the description 
he says his constant hearers are, in his introduction, 
viz. that they would not hesitate to believe his declara- 
tions if he told them he had heard or read it, if they 
had not. But he ought to know that there are many 
in this day who are not so strong in the belief that the 
priest's lips preserve knowledge, but what they would 
choose to examine for themselves. I presume it will 
appear to an attentive examiner that his endeavours to 
shew that what some esteem the gospel privilege of being 
taught of God has ceased many hundred years ago, have 
failed; as his proof rests very much on perhapses and pro- 
babilities, instead of producing any clear testimony from 
ttoa scriptures, that it ever was predicted that it should 
cease in this gospel day, which I think would be to be 
found there if we ought to believe it, after what was 
predicted by the prophets, promised by Christ himself,. 
-Then on earth, and preached by his disciples, and apos- 



1G3 

ties: and since inspiration has been a privilege of the 
servants of God through all time, and was promised to 
be increasedly so in the gospel dav, it does appear to 
me that we have a right to believe in it, and seek for 
it, for we read that by it Noah was taught to build the 
ark, and in Job's day it was recognized as com men 
privilege, for Elihu says, Job xxxii. 0. " But there is a 
spirit in man : and the inspiration of the Almighty giv- 
eth them understanding." It appears that it was con- 
tinued under the law, and until our Saviour came to 
fulfil the law and bring in everlasting righteousness ; 
and does constitute the vitality of the Christian dispen- 
sation, to the present day, and will do so forever. 

The evangelical prophet Isaiah when prophecying* 
of God's mercy towards his church under the gospel 
day, xxx. 21, says, " And thine ear shall hear a 
word behind thee saying, this is the way, walk ye in it, 
when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to 
the left." 

Now since it appears that this was a promise that was 
to be fulfilled in the gospel day, I see no reason why 
men should not be encouraged to hearken attentively 
to this word ; for although it is a promise to all, still it 
cannot be expected that any will be benefitted by it, 
unie«s they hearken to it. It would be absurd to ex- 
pect, that because she spirit of truth inspires the mind 
with a clear sense of w r hat it requires of us, that it will 
be of any other consequence to us unless we obey i( 9 
than to leave us without excuse, and add to our condem- 
nation in the day of final account. Finally under alL 
these considerations I conclude that it is consistent to 
believe that inspiration, or the teachings of the Holy 
Spirit, is yet the privilege of all that will attend to it 



164 



io far as.to shew them their particular duty, or the way 

in which they should walk, and I think I shall not dive 
up my hope in it, an less Rand or some other person 
can produce some scripture evidence that it was to 
cease, and if so when it did cease. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Considerations on the contents of Rand's fourth chapter of 
u What is sufficient evidence that a man is inspired, to 
satisfy himself ; to convince others ; and to accredit his 
message with succeeding generations ? All necessary 
evidence for the inspiration of the sacred writers," 

I am now to consider the contents of the 4th chapter,, 
and the whole matter in debate rests on the solution 
of the question, Did the promises of Christ extend to 
the apostolic age alone ? or were they to be considered 
as promises to his church, forever as expressly given 
by himself? Enough has been shewn by scripture tes- 
timony already given to render much repilition un- 
necessary. In addition to which we have Rand's ad- 
missions to the point in pages 92, 93, 94 and 95 of this 

book. 

Section 1. 

u What is sufficient evidence that a man is inspired, to 
satisfy himself?" 

I answer, the same they had in the apostles days, and 
which was promised by the Saviour himself, John, xviii. 
3, 7. u To this end was I born, and for this cause came 
I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the 
iruth ; every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." 
Now what would any one that is of the truth, want 



165 

more to satisfy himself? And he gave a description of 
such as had not this testimony and the reason why. 
John. v. 37, 38. « And the Father himself who hath 
sent me, hath home witness of me ; ye have neither 
heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape, and ye 
have not his word abiding in you, for whom he hath 
sent him ye believe not." Substantial reason ; not be- 
cause he did not work miracles, but because they would 
not believe in him, and had not his word ; and Rom. 
tiii. 15, 16. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with 
ear Spirit that we are the children of God." And Heb. 
x. 15. " Wherefore thte Holy Ghost also is a witness to 
ns, for after that he said before, this is the covenant 
that I will make with them after those days saith the 
Lord, I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds 
will I write them." Now would such want an evidence 
of their own inspiration? if not I thiuk his first ques- 
tion may be considered answered by scripture rule. — 
Thus we have reason to believe, that whatever com- 
munication he is pleased to make to man, will be after 
the counsel of his own wisdom. There will be noth- 
ing dark or heathenish in it, neither will it be after the 
dark and creaturely wisdom, and comprehension, of this 
world ; but it will be after the manner in which our Sa- 
viour described it to Nicodemus ; John iii. 8. " The 
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou nearest the 
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor 
whither it goeth, so is every one that is born of the 
Spirit." I am apprehensive that he is not authorized 
to dictate any thing about the manner of divine com- 
munications, since he has so frankly acknowledged his 
entire ignorance of them, and it does not appear to be 
my business to go into a contradiction of the method bj 



166 

which God may work, since he ha* been modest eno 
to -v.. page . " It is not denied bat »vej 

trcth by special revelation to th- immediaf 

which is property termed iospil 

Now if he did Dot don) that he did do it. I should sup- 
there might be an end of the debate, as it is pi 
irlj pointed out by our Saviour himself, how we are 
to obtain the evidence that we have it. 1 presume 
that it Kand and I should agree to unite our . 

ight to the subject, especi 
af or his statement in page 99. M The aid thai be! 
ers receive from the comforter, «and the ministers 
in preaching and prayer from the Spirit of Const, are 
all given in such intimate connection with Lhe common 
operation! cf our minds, that we know not the presence 
or aid of the Spirit, except by the effects.* 1 tad all 
this alter ri : the idea of the necessity of 

the leadings of the Spirit, in the performance 

K services, and asserting that the so. - are 

sufficient without that aid. He goes on farther and 
Says, c; And we know only by the superior effects that 
he who helpeth our infir aities is there *' If the aid of 
the Spirit is net essential to the pre aching of the gos- 
pel, would it then be producing its superioi 
This is an admission of the point at issue. No one con- 
tends that toe Spirit is to be known but bj Sects. 
It is admitting that our infirmities are such, that we 
stand in need of this help, and that it is mercifully af- 
forded, and produces its blessed effects upon our hearts. 
But he says, "What that particular manner of the 
spirit was, 1 know not that any inspired persons have- 
ever informed us." I think the Saviour did give as 
particular a manner of it as we have a right to expect j 



167 

Johniii. S. which has been quoted, i; The wind blowetk 
Mr he re it listeth," &c. But page 100 he says, u I shall 
grant that an internal suggestion of ti*e spirit alone, 
without any use of sensible evidence, was sufficient to 
an inspired person's own satisfaction, when stamped 
with the seal of Jehovah." 

Now does he suppose that Jehovah will not stamp 
his own work with his own seal ? if so, what means all 
this lahoured inquiry. Men are as likely to be deceived 
now as they ever were ; but that was never any substan- 
tial objection to the true coin, because men might be 
deceived by counterfeit. If the deceived were .the 
most dangerous people we had to combat, the world 
would have little to fear; but when it is so evident that 
a great part of it are so under the influence of deceiv- 
ers, it is not to be wondered at that those who suppose 
they see it, with its wretched effects of war, carnage, 
and every abomination with which th« world abounds 
should endeavour to give the alarm, and the mark* of 
counterfeits, nor ought they to be disappointed if they 
meet with opposition m this faithful discharge of duty. 
Having gone through his first section, I shall leave it 
without offering the evidence, from Rand's own argu- 
ment that inspiration and prophecy is still continued, 
which shall come in hereafter. 

Section 2. 
u Of the Evidence necessary to be produced by a divine 
messenger for the conviction of those to whom he is sent" 
It will here be proper to premise, that a* respects 
what transpired under the law given to the Jews, a^ to 
the messengers sent, or those to whom they were sent, 
or the Btiure of the evidence necessarv to accredit 



108 

tliem ; they wore under a dispensation, whose promises 
and threatening*, rewards and punishrrents, were prin- 
cipally outward, their law outward, their service out- 
ward, their ofTtrings outward and typical of what was 
to take place under the Messiah's reign and therefore 
all done away, with the ushering in of the gospel dis- 
pensation : which was to call for an entire change of 
the service, worship offerings and evidence, and depen- 
dence of God's people. The, former outward and le- 
gal, the latter internal and spiritual : The former with 
thunderings, terror and threatenings of outward calam- 
ities : the latter with future rewards and punishments : 
the one visible and to be comprehended by the senses, 
the other only spiritually discerned. Thus bearing lit* 
tie analogy and requiring evidence as dissimilar as the 
nature of the dispensations, 1 Cor. ii 14. "But the nat- 
ural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; 
for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he knew 
them, because they are spiritually discerned." Shewing 
that a divine messenger has no other testimonny requir- 
ed, but to deliver the message faithfully and leave the 
rest to God. If those to whom he is sent, have a convic- 
tion it must be in themselves, and given of God, which I 
have no douot they will have, if there is no will in them 
to oppose it. If they stand open and willing, and do not 
feel the evidence, they will nave no condemnation for 
not receiving it. There is nothing unreasonable re- 
quired under the gospel, for as they were not required 
to believe without evidence under the law ; so neith- 
er are they under the gospel; only the nature of 
the evidence is changed, and that under the gospel 
made more sure. What depended on the seeing and 
bearing was often attended with so much uncertainty 



<69 

that impostors could very nearly imitate it, witness 
Pharaoh's magicians. Whereas if we are deceived un- 
der the gospel, the cause of deception must be in our 
selves; therefore his supposition, that " if a messenger 
deliver* a message, as from God, that if they receive it 
without some outward testimony, it must be at best up- 
on human testimony," falls to the ground. If the evi- 
dence had depended upon outward testimony even the 
disciples would have had no right to shake off the dust 
of their fcet^ as a testimony against them, unless they 
first worked a miracle, as evidence of their mission. 
We have no right to believe that they had always pow- 
er to do this, as they were always dependent for that 
•power, and it does not appear that they always had it. 
But the fact is, with the change in the dispensation the 
whole nature of the evidence was changed. The law 
being outward, but the gospel inward and spiritual ; the 
first was written on tables of stone ; but the last in the 
hearts of his people, as prophecied, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. 
44 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with 
the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord, I 
will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in 
their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be 
my people, and they shall teach no more every man his 
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, know ye 
the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of 
them, unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord ;" as 
also, Heb. viii. 10, and again, Heb. x, 16 : "This is 
the covenant that I will make with them after those 
day* saith the Lord, 1 will put my law in their hearts, 
-anl in their minds will I write it." 

This entirely does away his suggestions of revelations 
<of new truths, as though the Quakers pretended tt 

15 



no 

punch any other go«pel than the same which Christ 
and hi* apostles taught, which any one acquainted with 
their authors, even as well as Rand is, must if they are 
candid readily acknowledge. 2 Peter i. 13. u Yea I 
think it meet as long as I am in this tahernacle, to stir 
you Up by putting you in remembrance.'" And Jiuie 
v. Thus it appears to me that the business of the 
teachers is to put the people in mind that they have 
to attend to that law in their hearts, and in their minds, 
and to draw them from all the lo heres ! and io theres ! 
to the Spirit of truth within, where he is promised by 
many scripture testimonies, as John xiv. 17. a But ye 
know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in 
vou." See also verse 20 and xv. 4. u Abide in me 
and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,*' 
Lc. 1 Cor. vi. 19. u What, know ye not that your body 
js the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you," kc. 
and many other scriptures which clearly manifest that 
all teaching which turns the mind and attention from 
ibis Spirit of truth, is inconsistent with the doctrines 
of the gospel. 

It must be evident that the whole rule he has laid 
down both for receiving and rejecting evidence is entire- 
ly spurious, since he says, page 104, ,; If a person has 
once been accredited as a messenger from God by suffi- 
cient evidence, he may afterwards be received in some 
cases without repeatedly producing his credentials." 

To this I say, such an one ought not to be rejected 
without substantial evidence, but the rule will hold 
good, that none are bound to receive his testimony, 
without renewed evidence of its being from God, or 
under the influence of his Spirit. He may in a very 
short time apostatize, as Judas did. and for lucre or 



171 

some other purpose betray his master. To make mira* 
chs the test must also appear very inconsistent ; first, 
because i« wa« not always the test, even when our Sa- 
viour and his disciples were on earth, neither had John 
the Baptist or our Saviours disciples and apostles mira- 
cles at command ; nor does it appear that they always 
had that gift dispensed to them. Therefore if the people 
had demanded them as a condition of their reception, 
their missions must have been at an end. Neither 
could it be supposed that it would have ever been re- 
quired of the messengers to have gone forth at his 
commands until he had assured them of that com- 
mission. 

After giving* us much information to but little pur- 
pose, (in my estimation) in page 105 Rand sums up the 
whole matter by telling us, "I know not how he 
is to receive satisfactory evidence, unless the messen- 
ger perform a miracle. n In this I feel no disposition 
to dispute him, but still hope that this ignorance does 
not extend to the generality of Christian professors. I 
it does, 1 feel persuaded that they must be professors 
only without the possession, or else there has been no 
Christian fellowship since the days of outward miracles, 
which were only continued until the new and spiritual 
dispensation was ushered in, to leave the unbelieving 
Jews without excuse, as believers had no need of them r 
having the testimony of the Spirit. But he says, from 
his reasoning we obtain this general rule, that every 
divine messenger sent to his fellow men, must work a 
miracle for a testimony unto them ; otherwise they are 
not required te believe and obey j" and gives as a rea- 
son, "The common acknowledgment of all, that mira- 
cles are the test of a person's having authority from 



172 

God." Now I would ask if by this he mean? to deny 
that there have been any divine messengers since the 
days io which God saw cause to enable them to work 
miracles? If so, surely there must have been a great 
deal of imposture practi&ed through every age since, 
even in that order-of priesthood to which he belongs. 
For there is no difficulty in producing abundant testimo- 
tij 1 , that they declare themselves God's messengers to 
their hearers. Some not far from us lately have taken 
the liberty to tell their hearers, that if they did not 
obey their message to them, they should appear as wit- 
nesses against them, at the bar of God, in the last day ; 
an 1 yet they wrought no miracle to accredit them. 
But tc return to his assertion, fct that miracles are the 
test that persons have authority from G6d. n 

There is no diinculty in shewing scripture to prove 
its absurdity without much comment. See 1 Cor. xii. 7 
to 11. a But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to 
every man to profit withal, for to one is given by the 
Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another, faith by the 
same Spirit ; to another the gift of healing, by the 
same Spirit ; to another, the working of miracles ; to 
another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; 
to another, divers kinds of tongues ; to another, the in- 
terpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one 
and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man several- 
ly as he will;' 3 

There is no doubt it will be said that some of these 
gifts are as demonstrative as miracles ; and it is granted; 
but there are several of them that bear no analogy to 
miracles. Therefore clearly shewing that miracles 
would be no test of their authority ; and at the very 
close of the apostolic age it appears that the working 



of miracfes was rather a mark of false prophets ; by 
which those that had the mark of the beast were to be 
deceived, Rev. xiii. 13, 14. "And he doeth great win- 
ders so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on 
earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwelt 
on the earth, that they should make an image to the 
beast, which had the wound by the sword and did live" 
&c. Rev. xvi. 14. u For they are the spirits of 
devils working miracles," &c. and xix. 20. M And the 
beast was taken, and with him the false prophets that 
wrought miracles before him, which deceived them 
that had received the mark of the beast, and them that 
worshipped his image." It seems by all this that mira- 
cles were not always a true test, and yet there was a test 
by which those that had not received the mark of the 
beast, and his image should know them, and I have no 
doubt there is still a test remaining for such as those 
upon whom John pronounced the blessing. Rev. xvi. 
15, " Blessed is he who watcheth and keepeth his gar- 
ments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. " 

But upon Rand's mode of reasoning here, Christ has 
no messengers now, neither has had for at least seven- 
teen centuries, and yet we hear much every day of 
messengers, numerous messengers, even sent to convert 
the heathen, that never had any outward knowledge 
of a Saviour; and who of all others would have a right 
to demand miracles, if that was the only test by which 
messengers were to be accredited. 

I have no doubt they are messengers, but if they are 
not to be received as Cfarisfs, for want of that test, 
whose messengers are they ? To say it is sufficient 
that they have the bible with them, and by that power 
must be received, would be saying too much, as it woiUd 

1.5* 



174 

be putting it upon higher ground than the authority of 
Christ's and the apostle's te^itnony, with the aid of 
Moses, and the prophets; for when Christ came to the 
Jew3 he had all the aid Moses and the prophets 
con Id give him, and the advantage also of the 
Jews' helieving their testimony; and yet he conde- 
scended to add miracles to them ; and shall it be ex- 
pected, that the record of those transactions alone shall 
be sufficient for the heathen ? I think it could not be 
expected unless the heathen have something beyond 
that book, and what the messengers can testify of it. I 
therefore conclude that they have the testimony of that 
Spirit to which Barclay bears testimony, or missionaries 
will be of little use to them. But he says, page 107, 
M We must be allowed to reject every new revelation 
beyond the scriptures." I by no means object to that, 
and the Quakers would join him in it. He can no 
where find in their writings, that they pretend to be 
wise beyond what is written in the scriptures of truth, 
but they believe it necessary, that they should have 
the aid of the Spirit, to give them an understanding of 
what is there written. Rand has abundantly ad- 
mitted the necessity of this as before noticed, notwith- 
standing he denies to Wickliff, Huss, Calvin, Luther, 
and all the reformers, the sensible aid of the Spirit* 
which he, to answer his own purposes, calls new reve- 
lations, inspiration, kc. under which names he thinks 
to alarm his readers, and make them suppose that some 
great innovation is attempted to be made upon the estab- 
lished doctrines of the gospel of Christ. It seems how- 
ever by reading their writings, especially Calvin's, that 
if Rand had lived in that age, they and he would have 
differed very much in their opinions. 



175 

It might be well for Rand to attend to hii own 
exclamation. " Presumptuous men ! did they not know 
that there is no work, nor council, nor might, against 
the Lord." 

1 pass over a great deal of what I call fallacious 
reasoning, and such as he could easily get rid of, if he 
would come up to the point, and admit what he finds 
very difficult to deny, viz. the testimony of the Spirit. 

Section 3. 

" Of the evidence necessary to prove a revelation to per* 
sons in distant places^ or future generations." 

This section commences with an inquiry which to me 
appears very unimportant, and accompanied with in- 
formation of what he expects to show, viz. that the 
sacred writers are sent or commissioned of God. I 
doubt whether his production will be likely to fall 
into the hands of any in this country, who are not 
as fully satisfied of the fact now as they will be after 
perusing his performance. I should not think it strange 
however if some should doubt the truth of his assertion, 
when he says, u Yea we have a more sure word than 
Peter had in the holy mountain," which undoubtedly 
was the word of God.. 

Now since his reasoning from the 113lh to 116th 
page seems to be such as to induce us to believe that 
he has been acquainted with a set of unbelievers, such 
at least as I know nothing about : I pass over them 
until I come to page 118, where he says, u And thus* 
though God has ceased for seventeen hundred years to 
send his prophets and messengers," &c. On this I ob- 
serve, that I hear daily much said about messengers of 
bis own profession j and see much printed also of their 



m 

going to and fro, that the knowledge of Ciod may be 
increased and extended even to heathen lands. 1 ask,, 
whose messengers are they? for surely if they are not 
God's messengers, there is but two chances more for 
them, either of which would be (in my opinion) very 
unimportant as to real usefulness. I shall therefore 
leave the subject after saying that I think it must ap- 
pear that he has a \ery inadequate idea of prophecy. 



CHAPTER V. 
Remarks on Rand's fifth chapter. 

I conceive that a complete and conclusive answer to 
Rand's fifth chapter may be made in a few words. The 
title of the chapter is as follows: " No evidence from 
scripture that inspiration is to be expected in the pres- 
ent or any subsequent age." The reader will here 
see he has undertaken to prove a negative, which of 
all positions is the most difficult to prove. The affir- 
mative is on my side, which I shall clearly shew by a 
few pertinent passages from the sacred writings, first 
premising, that if I shall produce any proof from scrip- 
ture that the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the hu- 
man mind is promised to be continued, then inspiration 
is promised to be continued. One of the offices of the 
Holy Spirit upori the human mind doubtless is to en- 
lighten it, to instruct it. u For if we walk in the light, 
then are we children of the light." But if the human 
mind is enlightened, then is light infused into it; it is 
then inspired : for inspiration is an infusion of any thing 
into the mind by a superior power. 

Before I proceed to my quotations, I will remark 



177 

upon Rand, when he says, " Something on this point 
has already appeared incidentally in the third chapter. 
We have already seen that many passages which have 
been supposed to hold out an expectation of the per- 
petual continuance of inspiration in the church, favour 
that idea only hy being grossly misunderstood or per- 
verted." I refer my reader to my remarks on his third 
chapter, where he may see that the misinterpretations 
and perversions are altogether upon his side. And I 
will also remark upon one other observation of Rand, 
on his 1 20th page, where he says, (speaking of inspira- 
tion) ;t But John did not predict either the continuance, 
or its revival again after it should have been suspend- 
ed." It is very true John did not, and inasmuch as he 
did not predict its suspension, how could it be likely he 
would predict its revival? I think it a circumstance 
woithy of observation, that neither John nor any of his 
successors ever did preach its suspension. Is it evea 
possible to suppose, that if such an event was to take 
place, that neither Christ, his disciples nor apostles, 
should ever give the least intimation of it? Or is it 
not past all reasonable belief that if it was to be sus- 
pended, (when the importance of it is considered) that 
the followers of Christ would not have been informed 
of it ? that they might not place any confidence in it, 
but turn their attention wholly to the bible. I now 
proceed to my quotations. Luke ii. 32. " A light to 
lighten the gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel." 
John viii. 12. u Then spake Jesus again unto them t 
saying, I am the light of the world : he that folio we th 
me, siiall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light 
of life " John xii. 46 " I am come a light into the 
worlds that whosoever believeth on me should aot 



178 

abide in dai knees."' 2 Cor. iv. 6. " For God, who com- 
manded (he light to shine out of darkness, hath sbiaed 
in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the 
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 91 1 Cor iii. 
16. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God ; and 
that the Spirit of God dweileth in you W Eph. i. 17. 
Paul prayed for the Ephesians, 4i that the God of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto 
you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the know- 
ledge of him." 5 John vii. 33. " lie thai believeth on 
me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall 
low rivers of living water." — 39. " But this spake he 
of the Spirit, which they that believe on bim she 
receive." 

I appeal to the candour of the reader; is there no 
evidence from the scripture that inspiration is continu- 
ed ? Rand says, page 120, u I do not say that aril (his 
(meaning his foregoing argument) is conclusive evidence 
against perpetual inspiration ; bui shall venture to call 
it a strong presumptive argument." Even admitting all 
he here asks, which 1 by no means do, what does " pre- 
sumptive argument" weigh against positive evidence ? 
Surely nothing. It follows then that his premises are 
disproved, and of course his superstructure fails to the 
ground. I felicitate him however that it has not far to 
fall. There is evidence, abundant evidence, from the 
scriptures, that inspiration or the teachings of the Holy 
Spirit still continues to the children of men. I shall 
therefore conclude in the language of the apostle^ 
Thanks he to God for his unspeakable gift. 



179 

CHAPTER VL 

RancVs sixth chapter, entitled u Additional Reasons mhy 
we should not look for inspiration" examined. 

His first reason is, u Because we have found this evi- 
dence confirmed by man)' predictions of pretences and 
delusions ;" but I say that those warnings against pre- 
tensions, «$*c. cannot but be rationally considered, as ple- 
nary proof of realties, for the reason heterefore given. 
Bat he says, " The scriptures are abundantly surlici'ent for 
every useful purpose." I agree that they are sufficient 
for every purpose they were intended, which was not 
only t© us a history pi the outward, but also for the 
purposes expressed by the apostle Paul, Tim. iii. 1G, 
17. M All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for 
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may 
be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."" 
They direct us to the spirit, the substance in ourselves, 
which is able to give the right understanding of them. 
Without which the work before us, furnishes abundant 
testimony of the uncertainty in which we should be left 
when we see how many constructions are given them. 
The scriptures give sufficient evidence of where our 
dependence ought to be, in order to be made wise by 
their instruction ; of which Paul's information to Timo- 
thy, just quoted, is a sample. But without that faith 
which is able to give the understanding of them.. I know 
of no promise that they will benefit any as to their salva- 
tion. u Without faith it is impossible to please God." 
But he says, page 122, u By the sufficiency of the 
scriptures, we mean not only that they are sufficient for 
salvation to him that understands and believes j for a 



ISO 

far leas degree cf light sufficed for the salvatioE ol 

Abel, Abiaham and others, bot we mean that they are 
Sufficient for all the designs c; uisdcm concern- 

ing the human race to the end of time/' N< n if he 
means h^re to say that they are sufficient without un- 

standing or telief. I should not think it north while 
so spend time to contradict him, supposing it would not 
credit enough with any to do any injury ; but how 
can Rand form any adequate idea of what light the 
Patriachs had, since God spoke immediately with them 
and was able to give them more light, than he (Rand) 
with all his human sagacity can discover from the scrip- 
tures without that revealing power which he so obsti- 
nately rejects. And he Bays, u This couid not with so 
great propriety have been said of the law and the pro- 
phets before Christ's coming." T:;is certainly could 
have been said with as much propriety, at that time 
a? since, for then all their services were outward. Bv 
looking at their law, every cne might fully understand 
what was required of them to do and leave undone, in 
order to keep the law. If they broke it the offerings 
for atonement were fully pointed out, both as to quality 
and quantity, in which they could not be mistaken. 
Their scripture therefore must be fully sufficient for 
(hem. But he says, M Now the canon of scripture 
appears complete.*- But the question comes up in my 
mind, by whom was it completed ? I doubt not but 
what we have, is in general handed down to us very 
pure, but the question is, whether we have all we 
might have had. We have an account of some being 
rejected, the Dames of whose authors we ought to ven- 
erate, from the honourable manner in which they are 
tnentioned iB scripture. Such as Enoch, who walked 



181 

with God, and was translate*! ; St. Barnabas, Lc. whose 
prophecies ami epistles were rejected ; upon what ac- 
count we are not informed, only that there was a ma- 
jority of votes against them. 

As we are sensible majorities are sometimes in the 
wrcYig, we are not sure but the canon is robbed of 
something that was its due. That however we must 
leave and endeavour to be thankful for what we have. 
But rt< w he says, " Nothing is wanting for the conver- 
sion of sinners, fjr the direction of believers, for eter- 
nal salvation." To all that he has there stated, I 
a g- re hecause he has wound up in every case with 
the sufficient requisite. To the first he annnexes obe- 
dience ; to the second, receiving the ingrafted word ; 
to the third, to be moulded according to the form of 
doctrine there delivered. To obey it, it will be neces- 
sary to hearken to the inspeaking word in the heart 
where the divine witness is promised ; to receive the 
ingrafted word, is to obey it in the heart, where it is 
ingrafted ; and to be moulded into the form of doctrine 
there delivered, is to obey the inspeaking word and 
law written in the heart, and printed on the thoughts. 
He goes on to gay, "The servants of Christ, the stated 
pastor, or the missionary to the heathen is thoroughly 
furnished unto all good works." He ought to have re- 
collected that he had previously dismissed all those, 
seventeen hundred years ago, as may be seen in page 
116, where he says, "And thus though God has cea-wl 
seventeen hundred years ago to send his prophets and 
messengers." Now if God has neither prophets nor 
messengers, who are to be furnished, or who are to be 
messengers to the heathen? A missionary is one sent 
to propogate religion, and if God has ceased to send 

16 



182 

vhem, whose messengers are they ? A messenger is one 
who carries an errand. If God does not send them, 
they are not his messengers. Indeed if his position was 
'•orrect, it would not be thought strange if all serious 
people were doubtful of the usefulness of missionaries; 
it being very uncertain whose messengers they are. 
His next position I shall cheerfully agree to, as sound 
Quaker doctrine, viz. u Nothing is wanting for making 
the church the perfection of beauty, but the salifica- 
tion of the spirit and belief of bible truth." There can 
be no doubt but a universal diffusion of the truth as it is 
in Jesus, would produce the millenium, since that 
would put an end to ail violence, war and bloodshed. 
Thus it may be seen there is no difficulty in our agreeing 
whenever he is willing to admit the scripture requisites 
into the christian system. Page 123, he says, u The 
bible predicts all he has been asserting, without predic- 
ting the rise of any new prophets or apostles to accom- 
plish it." But let it be recollected that all those wh# 
penned the sacred writings, recognized propagators of 
them, as special messengers of Christ, endued with 
power from on high. They give no intimation of a ces- 
sation of inspiration, but only warn the church against 
impostors ; such that pretend to it, but have it not* It 
will be very easy to conceive that neither Christ, the 
prophets, nor apostles, had any idea of its suspension ; 
for if they had they would no doubt in so many 
words have said to the church : have nothing to do 
with any that come in my name, for the time of 
my sending my messengers is past, and the scrip- 
tures are your only hope. Then there would have 
been a propriety in saying he had ceased to send 
his" messengers for seventeen hundred years. I believe 



183 

there are but few, if any, serious protestants who will 
not agree that a preacher of the gospel must be God's 
messenger. If this is the case, and God has no mes- 
sengers, how is the gospel to be preached, in the sense 
which Rand contends for, to every creature ? 

But in page 124 he says, u Now it is manifest if a man 
fs himself inspired, he needs not another inspired per- 
son to instruct him." But will he deny that the 
churches which the disciples were sent to were inspir- 
ed ? If those churches were inspired, then one inspired 
person was sent to preach and deliver messages unto 
others. But to shew the fallacy of such reasoning, I 
will offer a little scripture testimony from the second 
epistle of Peter, and addressed in these words : u Simon 
Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesns Christ, to them 
tbat have obtained like precious faith with us, through 
the righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ." 
Can there be any doubt of the inspiration of these ? I 
will quote another text from chap. iii. 1. " This second 
epistle, beloved, I write unto you, in both which 1 stir 
up your pure minds by way of remembrance." Ver. 2, 
t; That ye may be mindful of the words that were spokea 
before of the holy prophets, and of the commandments 
of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour." And 2. 
Peter i. 13. " Yea I think it meet as long as I am in 
this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remem- 
brance." Will any doubt that an inspired messenger 
may be sent to stir up inspired brethren by puttiog them 
in remembrance ? Or does the system subvert itself? 
or is the house divided against itself upon scripture 
principles ? It may also be observed, that Paul taught 
inspired Timothy, and many others of his co- workers 
ia the gospel. And examining the scriptures it doe«i 



134 

fjot appear that the instance was very rare. But I pre* 
sume he has not well defined (he true meaning of inspi- 
ration. \ lis argument, that because miracles have ceas- 
ed inipiration must alto cea^e with it, appears to me in- 
conclusive. It has, I believe, been a common under* 
standing, that miracles were only granted for a time and 
in condescension, when the people were to he turned 
from a religion that consisted of outward laws, rights^ 
and ceremonies, to one that was inward and spiritual. 
Miracles therefore were permitled, to establish their 
belief in the power and efficacy of this spiritual dispen- 
sation, but were never made a universal test of apostle- 
ship. Miracles therefore ceasing, as no longer being 
necessary, can he no evidence that the power tint they 
were to establish has ceased with them. But notwith- 
standing no one has now, or ever had a right to assune 
to themselves the power of miracles, and the acknow- 
ledgment that they ceased to be common in an early 
period of the christian era ; yet it by no means follows, 
that the power has ceased, by which they were wrought, 
and therefore I very much doubt any man's authority 
to deny, that God has wrought miraculously in later 
limes, than those of the apostles, ifor the furtherance 
and establishing his own work, and if Rand did not 
deny to the missionaries that are sent unto the heathen 
land the title of Christ's messengers, or if they were 
really such it would not be incredible if they should 
some of them be endowed with extraordinary gifts or 
powers, that could hardly be esteemed less than miracu- 
lous, since it is their business to introduce a miraculous 
dispensation among them. But in page 127, of the 
wonderful work of bringing about the reformation, 
he says, " overlooking all instruments we are constrain- 



£ii fa excium, what hath God wrought ? but he wronghr 
it by ordinary means." 

Now how can such logic as this he explained? that- 
independent of instruments, God wrought by ordinary 
means. He says, " neither Wickliff, nor Huss, nor 
Jerome, nor Luther, nor Calvfo, nor Knox, was in- 
spired. They brought forth the bible from its con- 
cealment ; and the bible was the means, in the hand of 
God, of ushering in the new era to the church." 

Here it is to be observed, notwithstanding he would 
ascribe so much power to the bible, in this case it was 
but a secondary means, and secondary to those reform- 
ers too. It had not power of itself to come forth, but 
was indebted to them for bringing it forth. J presume 
if it is the privilege of the departed spirils of those re- 
formers, to scan the performances of us that are now 
on the stage, his (Rand's) father Calvin, must view him 
with not a little contempt, if -his sentiments have not 
experienced a very great change since he left this stage 
of action. But he (Rand) is kind enough notwithstand- 
ing he denies them inspiration, to allew them under- 
standing. I can hardly conceive why he could not as 
well have allowed them to be moved by the Holy 
Ghost, as far as they did go ; or why in almost the next 
sentence he is speaking of Christ, conquering and to 
conquer, instead of leaving it to the bible. He says,. 
u They (the missionaries) are not inspired but when 
the blessing attends their preaching their word is with 
power." What blessing is here meant ? the bible T 
if not I think he must come to acknowledge the use 
of the help of the Spirit, and if so, why does he attempt 
to abuse the Quakers for their belief in it. To con- 
clude, if it is to be relied on that inspiration -h.ns GfeJMfeft 



186 

and Christ by his spirit has ceased to enlighten onr un- 
derstandings, by infusing suitable ideas into our minds 
of his superintending gaodness, and protecting love ; and 
mankind have nothing to depend upon but the written 
scriptures, with the multifarious explanations that are 
put upon them ; then why may we not make short 
work of it and wor&hip them, seeing we have no need 
of another. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Remarks on RancPs seventh chapter, called M Some pre- 
tended Revelations examined." 

On this chapter I shall bestow remarks on what I 
suppose he would mean to apply to the Quakers, as 
perhaps I may not hold assertions of revelations whea 
made very cbeap, and those too contradictory to scrip- 
ture testimony, in much higher veneration than himself. 
But as to hk remarks, p. 130, u That it is a general, 
perhaps universal belief in several denominations, that 
no one is called to preach the gospel, without a special 
▼oice of God in his mind, in every respect the same as 
a revelation. Th€ same as the call to ancient prophets. 
Preachers also profess to receive their doctrine frona 
God ? s spirit, and to be directed by his special monitions 
kt what place to labour." That it is a tenet with the 
Quakers that none can preach the gospel without a 
special call from God, and that call cannot be known 
but as it is communicated to the mind, that it must so 
far resemble a revelation, as satisfactorily to make 
known to them that it is their duty, and that the doc- 
trine they have to preach is from the Spirit, and to sat- 
isfy them in what places their labour is required, 1 shall 



1&7 

fully admit ; believing (.hat all who attempt it without this 
evidence have forgotten or overlooked Christ's admoni- 
tion, ". without me ye can do nothing," and are not en- 
deavouring to enter by the way of the door, but are 
climbing up some other way, and therefore are thieves 
and robbers; and that Christ's real sheep will not hear 
their voice because they are strangers to his gospel, 
viz. his power, and know not the way of his Spirit ; and 
those that do follow them follow blind guides. It is 
pretty evident that some preach without a call, and 
those that do not wait for a gospel call, but seek their 
gain from their quarter, it is but rational to suppose, 
will hear the loudest call, where there is most lucre ; 
and wilt there set up and take the prophets', Christ's 
and the apostles' words as the false prophets of old did, 
and with them amuse rather than truly instruct their 
employers* 

Section I. 

" Has any person of this day, sufficient evidence to him* 
self that he is inspired .?" 

I answer yes, I have sufficient evidence that many 
are inspired. I have no doubt God sees cause, to in- 
spire the mind with a sense and understanding of things 
worthy of himself. I presume few will dispute, thai 
there are abundant infusions of evil into the minds of 
the rational creation in every age of the world. If so, 
I see no reason to conclude that Satan has such an as- 
cendency, that he may take the whole creation at his 
will ; as must be the case, if evil only is infused into 
the mind. But he (Rand) is inspired by some Spirit or 
other, to renew Paul's exhortation, " hast thou faith, 
have it to thyself before God*" Bat it may be observed 



fhll the apo-tle had refard only io meats and drinks, 
(hat in partaking, the weak' brother might not be offen- 
ded, or cause to offend, and will not very well- apply 
here, but it M evident that here is the point ; keep clear 
of those that attend on mv ministrv, and I care nothing 
about your orthodoxy. I shall pass over many of his 
observations, as he acknowledges Friends are an excep. 
lion in this day; for he says, " It is true some do not 
receive their revelations in such a storm; the Friends 
of the present day wait for the Spirit in solemn silence. 
But they adopt the principle, that revelations are con- 
tinued in later times, (I suppose he meant former 
times) in a state of as great agitation as is now witness- 
ed by other sects; they have lost their fervor and the 
holy duty of quaking (as one of their writers termed it) 
is now seldom practised." 

Here the seen* of Cotton Mather comes up again, 
whose name has long been odious to the descendents of 
those poor innocent victims, he was instrumental in sacri- 
ficing for witches in Salem ; but while he was ridicul- 
ing and scorning the holy duty of quaking in the Quak- 
ers, he might have recollected that he might as well 
have extended it to the prophets and patriarchs, and 
even kings of the earth, with the disciples and apostles ; 
but perhaps he thinks the power that was able t« make 
the rery ends of the earth tremble, has ceased with 
prophecy, I think he had need to examine the sub- 
ject a little closer, lest trembling come upon him una- 
wares when there will be none to deliver. 

But he has such incongruities, that it requires some 
ingenuity to sort it, for he says, M with an abatement of 
of their zeal, they seem also to have been deprived, of 
some portion of their revelation." But he saysj. they 



189 

appeal 4 to obtain from this source liflle besides their 
doctrines, and .excitements to duty." Still he sar- 7 
" their principles are as broad as ever.*' 

Has he not good sense enough to know, (hat was to 
the utmost they ever claimed it, and if he does not 
claim it to the same extent, must he not walk with 
a dark lanthorn ? I presume I may tell him, whatever 
they may have lost, were they to abandoD their princi- 
ple of revelation, they would be left to walk in dark- 
ness, and might become altogether such an one as him- 
self. He goes on to say, " I readily grant I never was 
inspired, and do not know how the spirit moved on the 
minds of the ancient prophets." 1 shall by no means 
insist he has much idea of the Lord's prophets, ancient 
or modern. But he says, u I am no prophet nor pro- 
phet's son." To this I should think he would ask leave 
to amend, or those that attend on his ministry wouid ask 
h for him ; since, if aft&r being so long their minister, he 
should tell them he had never had the testimony of 
Jesus to deliver to them, nor had ever spoken to them, 
to edification, exhortation, and comfort ; perhaps some 
of them might feel disappointed, as no doubt it was that 
tkey employed him for. And at the very last stage of 
revelation (as he says) this u testimony of Jesus" was 
declared to be the spirit of prophecy, even by an angel. 
Rev. xix. 10. When John would have worshipped him 
he forbid him, saying, u Worship God ; for the testi- 
mony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." And thus if 
he has never had the testimony of Jesus to deliver, it 
may be supposed he has disappointed his hearers. And 
again Paul nays, 1 Cor. xiv. 3. " He that prophecieth, 
speaketh unto men to edification, exhortation, and com- 
fort. And here I leave it. He then goes on in page 



1M 

*34 t& shew what'is very correct. There msy be fafoe 
prophets that are deceivers, and others that may be 
deceived themselves. We have abundant testimony 
that it always was the case, both under the law and 
under the gospel, hut it is never brought as evidence 
that there were no true ones. Under both dispensa- 
tions, were directions given for knowing, and rejecting, 
and receiving them. The false were to be known by 
their seeking their gain from their quarter, seeking the 
fleece and not the flock ; and some even by devouring 
the flock, and lovers of filthy lucre, loving to be greet- 
ed in public, praying standing in the synagogues, and 
to be called of men Rabi, Habi, and many other marks, 
such as stealing the words of the prophets, and making 
use of them, when God had not sent them, to amu^e 
and deceive, in order to answer their own carnal and 
worldly ends. 

But all this was no objection to the true prophets 
and messengers, as the people were under no obligatioa 
to receive them unless they had the testimony in them- 
selves that they were of God. Still there were out- 
ward signs, by which some judgment might be formed ; 
one was, "by their fruits ye shall know them : men do 
not gather g**ape6 of thorns, nor figs of thistles." And 
of such as avenge themselves, instead of rendering 
good for evil we need not any further testimony that 
these are not of God, the rule being so plainly laid 
down by the Saviour himself. 

It is clear therefore that because there may be false 
prophets and deceivers, it is no argument that we have 
not a right to expect true ones. Who ever heard it 
objected that because we were cautioned against coun- 
terfeit coin there was no true- The case is so different 



191 

from this, that the complaint itself of false prophets is 
evidence of true. And Barclay must undoubtedly be 
correct, u That the Spirit never deceived any, how- 
ever many may deceive themselves." I will close this 
section in the language of Solomon, Prov. i. 22. 
11 How long will the scorners delight in scorning." 

Section 2. 
a Do modern pretenders to inspiration give sufficient evi- 
dence to the people when they propagate their revt- 
la\ions F* 

Rand here doubtless refers to outward evidence. If 
so, I will answer him in the language ©f scripture. 
Matt. xii. 38, 39, " Then certain of the scribes and 
pharisees answered, saying, we would see a sign from 
thee, but he answered and said unto them, an evil, and 
adulterous generation, seeketh after a sign and there 
shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the prophet 
Jonas." It can no where be found in scripture that 
any had a right to demand any outward test from the 
messengers, but what was conspicuous in other true 
believers, viz. that they walked wisely and soberly as 
became the followers of Christ. It was a privilege 
that God has always reserved for himself, to seal the 
testimony ©f his witnesses on the minds of the hearers 
by the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with their 
spirits, that the message was from God. I presume 
there never was a messenger that had a right to pro- 
fess he had a power of working miracles, for that is 
power God has reserved to himself; and although he 
may grant it to a servant at one time, yet that servant 
could never have a right to give encourgement. that he 
nlbould be possessed of it at another, if it were admit- 



102 

ted therefore that miracles are still granted in this age,' 
vet if any one should come professing to have that power, 
it would he evidence to my mind that he was an im- 
postor; as it also would that any one that demands mi- 
racles as a test was such. Rut he (Rand) says, u It is 
observable that few tell us of communications they have 
received, exclusively for their own use. They must 
preach and declare them to the world. Can any one 
conceive a reason why a person receiving a communi- 
cation, exclusively for his own use, should be telling it 
to others ? for what purpose should he tell it unless it 
shou'd be by way of boasting? But his great objection 
is, that inspiration was not predicted in the sacred vol- 
ume : which objection has been noticed and fully an- 
swered before. 

But Rand enters into many such absurdities in my 
opinion, that it seems almost unnecessary to notice at 
all. One however I will notice in his definition of mir- 
acles, in page 13G ; where he asserts, "That the grace 
that touched PauPs heart and renewed it was not mirac- 
ulous.'" Will any one doubt that that power which 
wrought to the conversion of so many at the day of 
Pentecost was not miraculous? If they doit will be 
something very uncommon, I believe among Christian 
professors, and they may believe his assertion , b^\ if 
they do not, it will appear pretty evident, that it was 
the same power that operated in Paul's case, and was 
equally a miraculous power. If miracles cease to be 
wrought in our days, it is not because the power las 
ceased ; for the power has been from all eternity, and 
will not end with time, and God dispenses it when he 
sees meet. 

In page 137, Rand admits enough to refute his whole 



scheme of no continued inspiration. " The true inirnsr 
ters of Christ receive assistance in .preaching. The 
Spirit belpeth their infirmities." It" he or any other 
can tell me how their infirmities are helped, unless it is 
by inspiring ideas, and thus strengthening of them, it 
will be something new to me. Rand says, u But we 
mas! notice also that actual miracles have been preten- 
ded and perhaps attempted; Clarkson says it had gone 
abroad ; Fox had healed many persens." But he says, 
"Clarkson attempts no proof of facts," neither shall I, 
but I shall say that neither Clarkson nor Fox does say,, 
that Fox pretended to any gift of that kind. I have no 
flcuht that it Has believed in some instances where Fox 
visited the sick, that his fervent prayers were heard 
and the sick restored ; but without bis assuming any 
power, or taking any glory to himself. It must re- 
quire no small degree of infidelity at least, to doubt that 
it may be so, since the apostle James tells us, James v, 
15, M And the prayers of faith shall save the sick, and 
the Lord shall raise him up," and ver. 16, u The effec- 
tual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much-" 
But he asks in page 133 " to be excused from believ- 
ing there are any revelations without miracles."* ,1 
do not know who is authorized to excuse people for 
erroneo us faith. 

But he ays, ;i The first part of this work has proba- 
bly convinced the candid reader that the Quaker system 
of doctrines is in some points different from the scrip- 

* Dr. Doddridge in his Family Expositor, vol. 3, page 21, on 
the subject of the miraculous appearance at the day of Peril e- 
says, M Let ire not wonder if the more common operations' 
Spirit on men's minds be derided by profane ignorance and 
fa , when there were some, even on this glorious day, who were 
stupid or malicious enough to ascribe the amazing eveat to Ike 
supposed intoxication of the apostles." 

17 



194 

Tutcs, aitd in most directly contradictory, vet thcj as a 
body profesi to be led by the Spirit." 

Ifthere are candid readers that feel that convictioD, 
the}' must hsve been very much deceived by sophistry, 
and I think if they could have the opportunity of peru- 
sing these few remarks, it might detect some of it. If 
not, it might induce them to read the Quaker authors 
he has quoted, which I believe would satisfy them fully. 
But he says, u Modern pretenders (besides holding doc* 
trines contrary to scripture) directly oppose the scrip- 
tures by Faying they are not the word of God; whilst 
they claim that distinction for their own word." 

By what has been shewn, I presume few if any can- 
did observers will deny that they allow to the scriptures 
all that they are entitled to. The last assertion of 
Rand's being a mistake of his own making, I only 
say, I presume that every one who reads the foregoing 
observations on it will be satisfied that they ascribe the 
word to him only to whom it belongs. Page 139, he 
says, " I do not represent my opponents as assuming 
jnore than they do ; is not a claim to inspiration the 
same as claiming an equality with the apostles?" I 
answer, is it not to be supposed that Timothy had a 
claim to inspiration ? If so, was that an evidence that 
he claimed equality with the apostle Paul, whom he 
looked upon as his father and instructor ? I think not, 
since equality in religion is known only according to 
experience and revelation?, received. But he says, 
" The tendency and actual effects of their revelations 
might be named, as a distinct reason against their being 
from God. But it is a delicate point, and I pass it over/' 
Here I do not know whether he has an allusion to the 
Quakers or not. Be that as it may, he will not be 



IBS 

ttkofy to obtain their thanks for his delicacy, in witl*- 
holding any truths he is in possession of respecting; 
them, since he has been induced to resort to so man/ 
alternatives, that bear no colour of delicacy, to calumni- 
ate them. One of which immediately follows, in page 
140: " The Shakers, originally Friends, and only re- 
ceiving further light from the same Spirit, have left 
their former associates in the wide ungodly world, and 
become in their own view the only true church on 
earth." 

On this subject little is necessary to be said to con- 
vince people in this part of the world, that he had no 
intention to represent truth in this declaration. It is a 
fact well known, in his own town, aad over the coun- 
try, that the Shakers were not originally from among 
the Quakers, nor had they any connection with tbem^ 
He could have little else in view in this assertion 
but to deceive people at a distance where they were 
unacquainted with both him and the Shakers. Page 

14'i, in mailing $*C6ptivtf9 tC ih& ^mii^rs f*i rtf^arti U» 

changeableness, he reproaches them of being u re- 
tracing the wandering ^teps of their more zealous an- 
cestors." I say reproaching them, because I esteem 
the abatement of their zeal to be a reproach. Had 
not a time of ease and other cawses abated their zeal^ 
I have an impression that they would have heen of much 
more use in the world in opening the eyes of the mul- 
titude, to see the state of ignorance and servitude they 
are kept in by their teachers, whose interest it is to 
turn their minds from the teachings of divine grace, 
which only can teach them the way to happiness, and 
deliver them from the thraldom of sin. He says^ 
u The evidence on which modem revelations are acv*' 



19* 

tqallj believed fs far from being suflkieot." But in 
this he discovers his ignorance, for how is it likely he 
can form a correct judgment of evidence of which he 
ha< Keen declaring, from the first to (he last of hi? per- 
formance, he is totally ignorant; (frith which I would 
not reproach him if he did not declare it himself) and 
yet in (he very next page we shall find hrm referring 
to the very m^ans he is continually warning people tp 
place no dependence in. For he *ays, " Many who 
had not strong minds, nor much knowledge, have be- 
come wise unto eternal life j" and tells how, viz. a Re- 
ceiving from the Spirit a humble heart, they have em- 
braced (he humbling truths of the gospel." But if we 
admit many of his other declarations, he must have taken 
this from what he has read, or heard others say ; for 
he has declared himself entirely ignorant of inspiration, 
or the Spirit's teachings. ?o he goes on to erect a com- 
plete Babel, if confusion of languages is evidence of it. 
For what can he mean (after denying revelation to any, 
for ~~rc than -~7:::r.~en h^dr^d yea;*, or the immedi- 
ate teachings of the Spirit to any) u by receiving irom tha 
Spirit an humble heart," especially if it makes, thena 
"spiritually wise." ;; The true revelation of God has 
been received by some of this description in all ages," 
&c. all which may be seen in page i 43. But he says, w If 
after they have received this humble heart from the spir- 
it, and especially if it makes them spiritually wise, the 
true revelation has been received, and they should re- 
mam ignorant of the first principles of God, &,c. we may 
conclude they are not taught from the same source." 
I shall not comment on this further than to ask if the 
former takes place, whether the latter ignorance caa 
possibly remain? Again I would ask what he cm 



mean (after so often denying 1 any pretensions to reve'a" 
tion, or the teachings of the Spirit) by introducing it 
into his system of theology ? or whether it comes much 
short of the 1 ignorance he is so often charging on the 
real believers m inspiration. He then goes on with a 
string of assertions of what they are fond of, what is 
too old for them, ami thzn to crown all, " The faithful 
spiritual preaching of the gospel by ordinary ministers 
is too trite and tedious," page 143. Had he left out 
the "spiritual," there would have been no room for 
contradiction ; and it seems to me he ought to have 
done it, as not'belonging to bis scheme. Then I should 
have understood him to mean those ministers who deny 
the necessity of its aid in preaching- the gospel : and ¥ 
should have said their preaching Is too trite and tedious 
for me, and have left the remainder of his attestations 
and information, for his readers to have derived all the 
benefit from them they could find. And page 144 he 
says, " Many of the present generation seem to be well 
described by our Lord, Matt. xii. 39. An evil and 
adulterous generation seeking after a sign." Nothing 
but ft|is extraordinary ingenuity could prevent this ar- 
tillery from turning against himself, since it appears 
impossible to level it against such a people as he ha3 
been just describing; who are credulous enough to 
believe any thing upon slight evidence, or none at all. 
It can therefore have no effect, but upon those who,, 
because God was pleased to grant miracles, at the 
first ushering in of the new gospel dispensation, to 
confirm its spirituality and„power, will receive nothing 
from him nor his servants without that sign. This 
appears to have been exactly the case with those re- 
proved in the text. Although for myself I bare m* 



19a 

very exalted idea of a blind creda'ify ; yet I beF^TS 
God has provided other means of furnishing testimony 
besides miracle*, sufficient to force conviction on ths 
mind. But he goes on and tolU us, u It is believed »he 
hearers in question are prepared to believe on slight 
evidence. n Thus in the 9arne breath charging them 
frith credulity and incredulity. So that if any one 
were disposed to defend them, or if they needed de- 
fence, they must ask leave to plead douoie. But since 
he only tells us it is believed, and not by whom I 
think it of little consequence, and let it pass. 

But he says, u The inspired preachers were confi- 
dent, and could speak with all authority. It is doubted 
whether an uninspired man can have the same degree 
of confidence with them, or upon the same ground;" 
and here we are at issue. For I don't believe unia- 
fpired men can arrive art any confidence at all, unless 
it be a false one. I therefore choose to have nothing 
to do with them as preachers, since he so readily grants 
we may have those of another description, in these 
words. " Still I grant that a believer or preacher of 
our time may be persuaded of the truth from scripture, 
and by a spiritual understanding of scripture, so that aJI 
doubt may be excluded, and he may be willing to ven- 
ture his soul forever on the troth of the doctrine he 
believes." These are the very sort of preachers for 
me, because they have come at their confidence in/a 
right vvay, that is, by a spiritual understanding, viz. the 
Spirit has revealed it unto them. Whatever he may 
tell of their manner of ascribing it to shortness of time, 
the sin of doubts, or what is believed of them, little dread 
of Satan, &c. yet the only question is, have they attained 
Nx it? for if they have they will -not forget theater** 



tion of Jehovih, but will know the heart is deceit fid . 
above all things and desperately wicked, and will un- 
doubtedly watch and pray, that they may not be led in* 
to temptation neither will they be confident beyond 
the testimony of the aforesaid spiritual understanding 
given them. 

The result of the examination of this chapter is this: 
That revelation was predicted to the end of the world, 
that as a suspension has not been predicted, and that 
Rand has admitted even the necessity of it, for the un>- 
derstanding' the scriptures so as to establish believers, 
That it needs no evidence of outward miracles to con- 
firm it, does well agree with scripture, and those that 
really have it harmonize with each other, and thev are 
established in it, and that none can be established with- 
out it, but wander perpetually, and follow blind guides, 
and it is to be feared will finally find themselves to have 
fallen into a ditch of disappointments, and that they 
have mistaken the law and the testimony, which I de- 
sire may never be the case with any, but that all may 
turn to the true witness, which they will find ia 
their own hearts, where God has so plainly promised; 
he would place it 



CHAPTER VIII. 

" ,; The state of the heathen, evinces that inspiration does not 
with them supply ihe want of the scriptures ;" is to Be 
next examined. 

He says, "It will be recollected that the sentiment! 
appose is, that revelation or inspiration is universal with 
"as without the bible." It U to be observed that in tfie 



?00 

course of th'19 discussion (whether intentionally ornotjhe 
has so often called in the aid of the Spirit, that it might 
be thought unreasonable for him any longer to contend 
against it. This lie has undertaken, and 1 have no doubt 
with a great degree ofconbdeoce. This however must 
be left to other judges. He says, " Writers assert that 
many who hare no external means, are savingly en- 
lighted, and that we have already seen the passages of 
scripture on which they rely, and which relate to the 
heathen, do not prove the assumption." 

But as this is only the opening of the cause, perhaps 
when the other side is heard it will not stand exactly 
so. It ought now to be observed that the tables are 
turned, and it now lies with him ta produce scriptural 
proof that all are not enlightened. It does not depend 
upon whether ten thousand reject or obey it, since he 
himself will admit (I presume) that in lands ander all 
the glare of gospel light, the scripture furnishes (and 
none will deny, but that is much) jret multitudes reject 
it and therefore are in darkness, perhaps worse than 
the heathen darkness, by reason of their want of in> 
provement of their superior privileges. Abiding in 
darkness therefore is no evidence against the light. 

But he says, U I shall state and answer a few in- 
quiries ;" and his first question is u what light do the 
heathen possess, as the subject is stated in scripture V r 
This question I shall undertake to answer by the first 
text he has quoted. Rom. i. 19. " Because that which 
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath 
shewed it unto them." There could be no outward 
revelation by the scripture in this case, because they 
had it in them. The scriptures they had not, even 
eutwardly, and yet they had a manifestation of that*. 



which may be known of God. It was not «po?con in rfie 
future tense, God will shew it to them, but God hath 
shewed it unto them. It is true the apostle admits they 
have something that is visible to stimulate them to be^ 
Jieve in the inward law, viz. the visible things they do 
gee: which ought to convince them that there is aa 
invisible power which they cannot comprehead. 

Having this evidence by the wonderful works of the 
creation, in addition to the inward revelation, or law 
written in the heart, he thinks they are without ex- 
cuse ; because having all these advantages, it could 
not be but what they did know God. " But when the^ 
knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were 
they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations 
and their fooii?h hearts were darkened." Now surely 
their hearts were enlightened or they could not have 
been darkened, and the apostle tells us why ; because 
when they had the light, they did not attend to obey it, 
but professed themselves wise without it, leaning unto 
their own reason, and thereby became fools, and in tra- 
duced many other objects of worship and modes, which 
the light reproved. 

It is to be feared that this is too much the case evea 
in our time, and for the very same reason, because thej 
reject that which is nothing more nor less than revela- 
tion or the law written in the heart. Yet it appears 
there were some among them that did otherwise, and 
shewed the work of that law written in their hearts, 
whereas, those that did not attend to it, perished for 
their disobedience. It is evident that the Jews who 
had the outward law, were not to be excused from at- 
tending to ihe inward. Rom. ii. 12, u For as many as 
have sinned without law shall also perish without law. 



202 

and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judgoff . 
V)j the law." 

Now it seems that the doing those deeds of the law, 
which had been required while under the law, was not 
all that was required now the gospel day had com- 
menced. They must now attend to what the gospel 
required. If the Gentiles were not excused when 
they did not attend to it, would it be rational to 
suppose the Jews, to whom it had been predicted 
and who had been expecting lt^ could be. Verse 
13. u For not the hearers of the law are jus- 
tified before God; but the doers of the law shall be jus- 
tified. The doers of the law must attend to the instruc- 
tions of the law which had heretofore been their 
schoolmaster, to bring them to Christ, and had taught 
that when Christ came with his inward and spiritual 

f law, they must obey it; and their law and the Gentiles' 
law had become both one, an inward and spiritual law> 
which was never far from them. If they did not obey 

•it, they were without excuse, both Jew and Gentite, 
for it had now become the Gentiles' law, although they 
bad not the Jewish law as a schoolmaster to bring thorn 
to It as the Jews had. What follows shows clearly how 
the Gentiles were taught, and by what they were ac- 
quitted or condemned. It was by the witness in them t 
God manifested by his Spirit in man, and the apostle 
says they shew the work of the law written in their 
hearts, which 1 conceive could be nothing else but rev- 
elation. We being Gentiles ought to glorify God for 
the unspeakable gift, rather than despise it ; see Rom. 
ii 14, 15, " For when the Gentiles which have not the 
law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these 
having not the Iaw 5 are- a law unto themselves; wte& 



203 

9 hew the work of tfu law written in their h arts^ then 
consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts 
meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.*' 
This was to be continued through time, because the 
apostle says in the next verse, " In the day when GoJ 
shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ;" from 
which it is plain that it was by revelation or the inward 
law or light within, *hat the Gentiles were to be judg- 
ed. We being Gentiles it becomes us to see to it, that 
we do not despise or deride it. From which it appears 
that the Gentiles or heathens have the inward law or 
revelation and are to have it until God judges the se- 
crets of men by Jesus Christ according to Paul's gospel^ 
and it farther appears, it could not be as Rand states, 
"They can discover God's perfections in his works, by 
their reason and understanding without revelations," 
sinGe, the apostle says, 1 Cor. i. 21, 22, " For after 
that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew 
not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching 
to save them that believe, for the Jews require a sign, 
viz. miracles ; and the Greeks seek after wisdom," (in 
theological institutions no doubt) but it was all in vain, 
as it respects the knowledge of God then and no doubt 
to me is so now. It only served to turn them from 
Christ ; and if scripture declaration is true it always 
will. But he says, " It appears moreverthat they have 
«ot conducted according to that knowledge." It appears 
ihey had, because the knowledge he describes them to 
have is, but a carnal knowledge, in which God cannot 
be known, therefore " their minds became blind, their 
consciences defiled, and their hearts debased and cor- 
rupt," and therefore they lost the trne knowledge of 
God which (if the apostle is right) they might have re- 



tallied if the} had conducted according to another wis- 
ilom viz. the law written in their hearts ; which some 
did, and and were not darkened but did u Show the 
work of the law written in their hearts." These did 
riot worship idols, but the true God, and the others 
were left without excuse because they had the same 
Jaw but would not obey it ; became vain in their imag- 
inations, and were verily guilty, and would without re- 
pentance undoubtedly perish, and I see no cause to. 
doubt that this wi!l be the case with all to the end of 
time, that reject that same law. But Rand says, M here 
is not a word about a revelation from Jesus Christ, or 
a way of pardon or salvation, by a Redemer," but I can 
see not a word about any thing- else, except what be 
has said, and that I presume will appear very unscripta- 
ral to any candid examiner of the subject. He says t 
14 It is a principle with our opponents, that if the heath- 
en have not light sufficient for salvation, then they have 
not sufficient for condemnation;" granted, but they have 
both, or the apostle was mistaken, for those that did at- 
tend, showed the work of it, Rom. ii. 14, 15, " These 
having not the law are a law unto themselves, which 
shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their 
consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts 
meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." 

1 think it needless to say much more after all his 
fallacious reasoning in p. 147, especially as I do not be- 
lieve he knows what God might or might not have 
^one, or what his standing would have been, if he had 
done otherwise than he has done in his wisdom ; and if 
as Rand says he ha? ascertained the fact, a That they 
(the beatken) Have only tbe knowledge that reason caa 
acquirer from reviewing the things that are madfj but 



806 

bo know! y name given under heaven 

among men by which we must be saved ;" I can only 
say 1 believe it will appear by Rind's foregoing- rea- 
soning-, if correct, that he lias also ascertained that (he 
apostle Paul was mistaken. If that be the case, it will 
not be strange that I am also, and thousands more. 
But I presume there is a difference in people's under- 
standing of the name given whereby we may be saved, 
It appears to me, that by some it is understood to have 
reference only to Christ as he appeared outwardly, and 
by others it is understood of his saving power and effi- 
cacy. If the latter be correct, no doubt the heathen 
have it. although they may have never heard his name 
With their outward ears. But he says, u We inquire 
what are the statements in scripture concerning the 
character, state and necessities of the heathen," and 
says, " they are described as being immoral, wicked 
and dead in trespasses' and sin3, as in a state of condem- 
nation," Granted ; but does not the apostle tell us the 
cause of it ? Rom. i 21. u Because when they knew 
God they glorified him not as God, neither were they 
thankful, but become vain in their imaginations, and their 
foolish hearts became darkened." And verse 22. u Pro- 
fessing themselves to be wise, they became fools," as 
it is to be feared many in our time do in matters of reli- 
gion ; for the apostle says, verse 23, u They changed 
the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made 
like to corruptible man," &c. clearly intimating that 
they had been made acquainted with that glory, bufc 
had despised it, and this was the cause that they were 
left to fall into the enormities described in that chap- 
ter. It is still the cause of men's falling into enormi- 
ties of almost equal magnitude, for which we seed not 

18 



*n the circle of the*e United Siales ; 
: ' ^ ' - ■ ■ • principles. For 

re of de- 

3 much resembl 

. and compelled I hose 

^lare of gospel li< 

iting to send missionaries to 

heathen, \ c- 1 k< en iheii felioiv men in such 

, that if they enjoy any conjugal in- 

urse il is in a wa] sting than that 

tie. If they join in honourable mat- 

rinaor to be se| from 

those "very sticklers 

these become 

stun.' bstanding 

ight, so that ask iug no abatement in 

o the 
heathen, an J all the a jes u . have had of letters 

ag | resses, i ^.^d.:,:^ th r sip 4 of the 

. sti o at all, the enormities of the heathen no more 
| rove, that they have not been visited by that light 
that Christ promised should enlighten every man that 
cometh into the world, than the enormities of professed 
Christians do that thej have not had the light of the 
scriptures. It goes farther towards proving- that al- 
though they hive not had I te scriptures, they have 
had - .j that Las p I them in many cases 

• ., virtaes that ssed Christians placed in similar cir- 

i astances have i strangers to j and what suppose 

ye irould have been our - ;. had they have had 

laJ advantages . : resenting themselves to those 
we have had ! It very evidently appears that profess- 
ing I is have been guilt} of cruelties and in> 



207 

moralities, from which they have been in many instan- 
ces preserved, as recorded in onr history ; even the 
soil we live on, our own history gives us to understand, 
has been abundantly polluted by the blood of the na- 
tives, who received and treated our forefathers with 
great hospitality at their first landing on these shores, 
without which aid they must in all probability have 
perished— (see the history of the first settlers in Penn- 
sylvania, New-England, and elsewhere)—- thus nourish- 
ing those in their bosoms, who ultimately in many pla- 
ces destroyed them. How much better account could 
the apostle give of conduct in many of these respects 
than he did of both Jews and Gentiles, were he now 
here to represent us? but he has not once intimated that 
it was for want of light, but it wa3 because they had not 
obeyed that light which they had. 

For that reason, the light in them had become dark- 
ness, both in Jews and Gentiles. For he says in the 
game chapter, verse 19, "Because that which may be 
known of God is manifest in them, for God hath shewed 
it unto them.' 55 So that all that Rand has advanced no 
more proves that the heathen had not then the light, 
or that they have it not now, than it proves we have it 
not. It only proves that they had rebelled against the 
same light, without the benefit of the scriptures which 
we have with them. It ought to teach us the necessity 
$f looking well to our standing before it is too late. 

If it is as Rand says of these poor heathen, and which 
will not be denied, viz. " It is very apparent that such 
are near unto destruction," under all these disadvanta- 
ges, what must the state of many professing Christ- 
ians be who are guilty of all these enormities, notwith- 
standing the aid of the scriptures, and all the advantages 



£05 

?* m enjoy over thorn. But Rand says, lt The apostle 
abundantly proved thorn under condemnation, from 
which none but Christ can deliver them, and aslta how- 
he does deliver them? can they call on him in v.hora 
they have not believed ? can they believe en him of 
whom they have not heard ? and can they hear without 
a preacher V* 

Rill he forgets or neglects to bring forward another 
r uestion and the apostie's answer in the same chapter, 
i; But I say have they not all heard? yes verily their 
sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the 
end of the world/' 

But the apostle says, u But they have not all obeyed 
t'.)e gospel." But Kand says, page 148, ;> If the go pel 
> e not necessary to enlighten the Gentiles, why did 
Christ commaud his servants to go into al! the world, 
and preach the gospel to every creature ?'' 

1 answer, it was necessary, and is so still ; because it 
is the power of God unto salvation. We tind they 
preached not only the outward passiun of Christ, but 
likewise his interna! appearance in their heart-, n 
is the gospel privilege of every rational creature under 
heaven, whether they have seen the written scriptures 
or not. It ought to be rememoered that Rand has de- 
prived the world of that benefit for the last seventeen 
hundred years, as ma; g 1 16. For it was 

his prophets and messengers that were to preach the 
gospel, and it is to oe presumed no others can do it. 
And Rand there says, u Though God has ceased for 
seventeen hundred years to send his prophets and mes- 
sengers." So that we see according to his statement, 
that the heathens have none of this prh 'ess 

they get it from the messengers that are now often 



£00 

spoken of as gone amongst them. I don't know whose 
messengers they are : it is a question I leave them to 
settle among themselves. But he say, u All other 
nations, except the Jews, and a few others attached 
to them, worshipped idols. 1 " True ; and after quo- 
ting some very precious promises, he goes on to tell 
what is to he the means of saving the nations out of this 
wretched state, and says, u The gospel sent by the 
church, or those who have already enjoyed it, is to be 
the means of saving the nations, and not revelation 
made to them, and light springing up among them- 
selves." 

Although I am not one in the belief with him that 
revelation and light, springing up among themselves, 
will have no part in it, yet 1 am fully willing they should 
be saved in his way. But a difficulty arises about who 
they shall send it by. Rand has deprived Christ of all 
his messengers for seventeen hundred years, and be 
does not tell us when he intends letting us have any 
more. 

This might be very consoling news in this eventful 
period, in which they are thought so much needed, 
even among our red brethren in these United States, 
By such as these, those jealousies might and I have no 
doubt would be removed, that so often occasion failures 
of missions among them. 

To be sure the picture Rand has drawn of the state 
of the heathen is deplorable enough, and undoubtedly 
there is too much melancholy truth in the statement. 
Still it goes however nothing towards proving his posi- 
tion, that it is for want of light to teach them better. 
It only goes to shew that they are too much like the 
people in this favoured land, viz. they do not obey the 

18* 



2iO 

light they have. The abominations he has enumera- 
ted as abounding are by no means confined to heathen 
lands, nor is it true that iniquity is quite such a skulking 
menial in some parts of the United States as he repre- 
sents it to be. I', holds its head high above virtue, and 
glories in the face of the nations, in things that fa 
been already touched, and which might be enlarged, 
but for reasons before stated. 

But he (Rand) is talking without book when he says 
they are without social affections, although they may 
not have altogether such reined ideas, as where civili- 
vation has been more fully inntroduced, vet i! contra- 
dicts the testimony of both voyagers and residents to 
say that both social and filial affections are not discov- 
ered in an eminent degree. Witness the testimony de- 
livered before the houses of Lords and Commons, of 
England, when the question of the slave trade was agi- 
tated. And this testimony from men of high standing, 
and who had not made up their minds from cursory or 
transient observation; but from occurrences which 
transpired under their eye, during leng residence a- 
mongst the slaves, many of them. These also furnish 
evidence of depravity in those that profess to live under 
the influence of the gospel, scarce parallelled even a- 
mong the heathen, which at once diminishes the weight 
©f the testimony, that heathen enormities are for want 
©f light Enormities no doubt arise from the same 
cause with them as with us, because they reject the lighi. 
Witness also the account of the Lewchew Island and 
its inhabitants, noticed in the Christian Disciple of June, 
1818. The following remarks in that work upon the 
occasion will not be uninteresting to the serious reader. 
* What is related of this newly discovered people is 



2ii 

Ifllly interesting. I( affords reason to hope that the 
character of man and the condition of society may yet 

he so improved as to change this mititary world into a 
paradise of love and peacp. The Lewchews are re- 
garded as Pagans, and as living 4 remote from the civi- 
lized world ;' but if the account of them be correct, 
they have far higher claims to he regarded as the dis- 
ciples of the Messiah, and a truly civilized people, than 
the majority of the inhabitants of Christendom. The 
people of Europe and America may look up to the 
Lewchews for an example worthy of imitation,- Indeed 
in view of this wonderful and amiable people, the 
greater part of those who are called Christians may 
well fc blush and hang their heads V 

14 Here we behold a people who- never bad been 
blessed with the gospel, exemplifying these benign and 
pacific virtues which were recommended and enjoined 
by the Prince of Peace ; while the nations which pro- 
fess to be his followers, and to hope for salvation 
through him, can wade in the blood of their fellow 
being*, make a trade of manslaughter, and glory in a 
military reputation ! These Lewchew Pagans appear 
to have no ships of war, no military establishments of 
any kind, no weapons either offensive or defensive ; 
but the several nations calling themselves Christians, 
probably expend annually, even in time of peace, not 
less than a thousand millions, of dollars in the support 
of their various military establishments, and prepara- 
tions for war. Now which of these two classes of peo- 
ple would it be rational to suppose had been taught by 
the Messiah? Which of them exhibits most of his be- 
nignant spirit ? To which of them will he be most 
likely to say, ; Weil done good and faithful servant.*' -** 



u For he is not a Christian who is one outwardly, neither 
is that Christianity which is merely outward in the flesh 
or in name ; but lie is a Christian who is one inwardly, 
and Christianity is that of the heart, in the spirit and 
not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of 
God." 

The scriptures no where represent the rational cre- 
ation as destitute of divine light, but they represent the 
wicked as despising and rejecting it. This they could 
not do if they had it not. This was abundantly predict- 
ed in that very prophecy of Mic. iv. 2. u And many 
nations shall come and say, come and let us go up to 
the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God 
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will 
walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion. 
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." 

It is to be supposed that Rand has mistaken what the 
law and word is, w T holly attributing that to men and 
books which belongs to God. No doubt this law is 
what God would write in the hearts, and put in the 
minds of men, even all men, even the word of his eter- 
nal power which reaches to all, both Jew and Gentile, 
in the gospel day, then about to be ushered in ; when 
light would spring up among themselves, sufficient to 
save them, if they would obey. 

If his description of their idolatrous worship, page 
150, gives a horrid picture, it goes nothing to prove 
that it is for want of light. If it did, it would prove the 
same in Christian lands. I presume the same is indis- 
putably the case, in at least one half of the Christian 
world, although perhaps in a degree less obscene. And 
Rand does not attempt to exculpate very many in the 
other part of Christendom, if the apostle's definition be 



0)3 

correct that covetousness is idolatry. I can but hope 
there are. still some of every denomination, actuated by 
purer views, but it is too evident now as formerly, thai 
it is the leaders of the people vtho cause them to err 
in a greaf decree, by turning' them from that sure guide 
of the Spirit within, to follow eutward leaders. For it 
is very evident from Rand 's own account that these very 
heafhen have an idea of an invisible something that 
overrules and governs all things; and that they have 
given him a very appropriate character. And I ask, if 
they have not been enlighiened by it, how we shall ac- 
count for their giving it the very same character that 
Christ did, when he conversed with the woman of Sa- 
maria at Jacob's well ? viz. that Gad is a Spirit. Is it 
strange if in countries where so much light has been 
bestowed ; and so many martyrs have bled for their 
testimony to the true spiritual worship, and yet so 
much remains of the relics of outward and heathenish 
performances ; that the heathen are almost entirely ab- 
sorbed in them ? and that the light should become 
darkness in them, although God may have said let there 
be light, and may have and still does move on the face 
©f the waters, but they do not regard it ? 

But be (Rand) say*?, u God will soon assert his rights, 
and enlighten all the earth, and bring all nations to the 
fold ; he will send forth his word and servants to pre- 
pare the way before him." He has long since assert- 
ed hb right and enlightened all the earth agreeably to 
his testimony, John viii. 12, ;c I am the light of the 
world that tollovveth me shall have the light of 

fife " If this had been attended to, ft would have 
brought aii nations to his fold, as it has all who have at- 
tended to it. I believe there are no *rue servants of 



214 

this light of Christ that will not pray that his kingdom 
may come into the hearts of all, so that hi* government 
may be set up there and his will be done. But Hand 
Bays, u Those among us who pretend to revelations are 
indifferent to missions." I would ask if that can b* 
thought strange when we consider the situation he rep- 
resents us to have been in for the last seventeen hun- 
dred years, viz. without a prophet or messenger of 
Christ's to send by. If so who shall we send by ? One 
thing however is to be taken into view ; those among 
us who believe in revelation, do not coincide with him 
in opinion ; but do believe that Christ has still his mes- 
sengers, and those that go on missions, not of men's 
planning. To these they wish scccess, and some of 
them no doubt are feelingly alive to the wants of both 
Christian and heathen lands ; and are thankful for that 
inspiration, that has preserved our own favoured land 
in so great a degree from that deplorable darkness into 
which some others have fallen, by not attending to the 
divine light, with which they believe they have beea 
favoured. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Conclusion. 

To conclude : i will now bring the principal subjects 
treated on in the foregoing pages, into a more concise 
form, and take a general view of them, in order that 
the reader may the better be able to judge of the 
state of the controversy between us. As it respects 
what are termed ordinances, it is true we do not be- 
lieve that they belong to the gospel dispensation, and 



2t5 

our reasons for disheriting* from most other religious 
societies in this particular, we have repeatedly assigned; 
not however censuring' our fellow Christian professors, 
for their use of them, if they think them still obligato- 
ry. The difference between them and us is simply 
this : they admit that they are not essentially necessary, 
w hich this writer has also fully conceded ; and we that 
they are not necessary at all. On the subject of hu- 
man depravity Rand admits that the Quakers are cor- 
rect in their sentiments respecting man in the fall ; yet 
he says that by believing that the offers of divine assist- 
ance are extended to fallen man, which if he believes 
in and submits unto, he may become redeemed from 
this condition; they "restore" him, possess him of a 
portion of "God's huly, moral image," &c. 

The Quakers do indeed believe, as hath been shewn, 
that man in his natural estate is alienated from God ; 
but that God, who is rich in mercy, and whose mercy is 
over all his works, hath provided means, which if era- 
braced, will lead out of this condition ; and that Christ, 
by his divine light, grace and truth in the heart of man, 
as well as by his personal offering, came to effect this 
end. But it is not as this writer erroneously says, that 
because these offers are made to all, this grace vouch- 
safed to all, therefore it follows, that whether man be- 
lieves or disbelieves; whether he obeys or rebels; 
whether, in conformity to the convictions and teachings 
of this grace, he forsakes sin, and becomes a servant of 
God ; or whether he turns the grace of God into 
wantonness ; denies the Lord who bought him ; and 
remains in a state of sin and depravity — he is neverthe- 
less "restored," delivered from trespassess and sin, 
and possessed of a portion of God's moral image," 



21fl 

Which he asserts is consentient upon the principles 
of the Quaker^ because they believe in the uni- 
versality of divine and saving light. He even goes 
further, and say?, that ihis is % - their meaning" (see his 
Word in Season, page £7, 28.) But with what colour 
could he pay thi^? when he had Barclay before him, as 
he acknowledge.*, who so expressiy states to the con- 
trary ; see his Apology, prop. 5 and 6, u Of universal 
and saving light." 

With reepect to the holy scriptures we may safely 
challenge this writer, or any other Christian professor, 
to shew a more full belief in them than is made mani- 
fest by the society which he attempts to traduce. Our 
tenets, as we have repeatedly shewn, are consistent 
with the doctrines of the bible. W r e have carried our 
obedience to the precepts contained in this inestimable 
volume much farther than any other society. Thai we 
can say to this writer, in the language of the apostle 
James, u Thou shew r est us thy faith without thy works, 
but we will shew, thee our faith by our works. " la 
proof of our rendering obedience to those precepts be- 
yond most others, we need only refer to our refusing 
even judicial swearing, because Jesus Christ our Lord 
has commanded his followers not to swear at all. And 
to our well known testimony against war, in conformi- 
ty to the positive command of the same divine law- 
giver, u Love your enemies." In the support of these 
testimonies we have been invariable, nor have the 
most cruel sufferings deterred us from adhering to 
tliem. The world has made some progress in acknow- 
ledging their correctness; and this writer professes to 
admire the latter of these testimonies, a&d to be a con- 
vert to its excellency; and would fain induce us to be- 



217 

Ueve limt he is sincere. But how can lie expect to 
pass this, even upon the most credulous, when insiead 
of loving his enemies, he reserves to himself the right 
of hating and killing them. 

That we ascribe to the character of Jesus Christ, 
both as it respects his manhood and Godhead, all that 
the scriptures in their fullest extent ascribe to him, the 
extracts from our approved authors, recited in this little 
work, have abundantly shewn. Also that our belief in 
the necessity of true repentance, regeneration, redemp- 
tion, and sanctification, is perfectly consistent with the 
doctrines of the gospel. 

On the subject of perfection, he says that u the 
Quakers believe perfection is often attained in this life." 
"That Christians ought to be perfect" he says, "I 
grant; 5 ' ;i and that nothing" but their remaining sinful- 
ness prevents. No Christian will be satisfied without 
perfection; and deeply laments and abhors every thing 
that comes short of it." But he says, u the question 
relates to matter of fact. Are believers perfect?" 

The Quakers say, that what we ought to be consis- 
tent with the will of God, that what we cannot be satis- 
fied without being* as candidates for a blessed immor- 
tality, we ought to believe is attainable, in the Lord's 
time, by the help of the grace of God : that what we 
sincerely lament and abhor*, -on account of its contra- 
riety to this state and condition, true faith in God, in 
Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, that faith vrhfeh 
works by love, and purifies the heart, will enable us to 
overcome ; seeing that help is laid upon one who is 
mighty to save, and able to deliver, to the uttermost, 
all those who put their trust in him. And to this point 
is the assurance given us by the apostle, that "if we 

19 



2i8 

confer our sins, God ia faithful anil just to forgive us 
qpr bids, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

As. it respects the resurrection of this material or 
weal body, we are not so adventurous as this writer 
appears to co;,«ider necessary. We believe in the 
scriptural account of the resurrection, viz. that there 
shall he a resurrection of the just and of the unjust, the 
one to condemnation, the other to everlasting life. But 
v. ith what bodies we shall be raided we presume not to 
determine, any futher than the Holy Ghost has seen 
meet to reveal it, even that it is sown a natural body 
but shall be raised a spiritual body. Remembering that 
secret things belong to the Most High, but things that 
are revealed only, to us and to our children. 

This writer has also attempted to insinuate that be- 
canse he has not found, in his very partial reading, that 
cur society dwell upon reiterated descriptions of the 
miseries of the damned, and on the particulars relating 
to the place assigned for the wicked, that therefore fu- 
ture rewards and punishments do not come sufficiently 
into our belief; but whoever reads the writings of 
Friends, will find that this has ever been steadfastly be- 
lieved by us, and that the early professors of our faith, 
in a particular manner, might with propriety have 
adopted the language of the apostle on account of their 
multiplied sufferings, that if in this life only they had 
hope they were of ail men the most miserable. These 
sufferings, it is but just to say, were greatly multiplied 
by the calumnies and misrepresentations of their princi- 
ples, which were made by writers of a similar cast to 
the one with whom we have now to deal. 

But his greatest efforts, next to his continued attempts 
ttoughout his whole book ^.y\y to reproach us, appear 



219 

to be made to shew the world that we are mere en- 
thusiasts, because we hold that the Holy Spirit is pri- 
mary to the scriptures, or in that we profess to believe 
in the immediate manifestation of (he divine will to the- 
soul of man, as well as the mediate, that is, both in the 
operations of the Spirit and in the use or work of in- 
struments. But the reader will clearly see by the ex- 
tracts in this work that while we fully believe in the 
latter, we dare not deny the former. In a word that 
we belive that divine Goodness, in order to effect the 
salvation of his creature man, works both immediately 
and instrumental !y. Rand has admitted, in his way, 
that all this is necessary to constitute true faith in God, 
in Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, and yet labours to 
shew that we are heterodox for making it ^n essential 
part of our creed. But behold the distinction which 
he attempts to make, and thus convict us of error. He 
says that he believes in the illumination and sanctifica- 
tion of the Spirit, but then this must be wholly through 
the medium of the scriptures ; but that we believe in 
inspiration. Will he venture to shew how the mind 
is to be divinely illuminated and sanctified and yet not 
inspired ? What is divine illumination to the mind but 
teing inspired with a right understanding of its own 
state and condition, and its duty to God and to man? 
The scripture saith, " There is a spirit in man, and the 
inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.'* 
What is the sanctification of the Spirit but the operation 
of this divine Spirit upon the submissive soul, by which 
it Is washed and cleansed from defilement, and receives 
ability to work out its salvation with fear and tremblings 
before God, knowing, by the inspiration of this Spirit, 
that it is God who worketh in it to will and to do ao 



220 

cording to h'n good pleasure. How can any soul krrow 
that it is God who worketh in it but by the revelation 
of the Spirit of God, seeing the things of Gad knoweth 
no man, but the Spirit of God. It is to be hoped that 
tiie Christian reader will not be deterred from believing 
in the gift of the Spirit, in the gift of divine grace which 
brings salvation, and which hath appeared unto all men, 
and teacheth to deny ungodliness and the world's lusU, 
to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present 
world, by the fallacious reasoning of Rand, who denies 
it in one breath and professes to believe it in another. 
It is to be hoped that bis hearers, in a particular man- 
ner, will not be so deterred; although their teacher 
Las made it his boast that he is ignorant of this divine 
teaching, and appears to glory in this ignorance as hath 
been shewn, having with no small degree of self corn- 
jplacency proclaimed to the world that " he never was 
inspired," that is, never divinely taught what is the will 
■of God, and strengthened to do his will by the grace of 
God. What a contrast between the standing and quali- 
fications of this man, as a professed minister of the gos- 
pel, (if we may judge of what he has by what he de- 
clares he has not) and a true minister of Jesus Christ. 
The latter sees with his eyes, hears with his ears, and 
his hands handle of the good word of life, and therefore 
can livingly and experimentally declare of those things 
to others ; for being taught of the Lord, he can teach 
the way of the Lord. The necessity of this is rational 
as well as scriptural, for that which a man has no 
knowledge of himself he cannot teach to another. If 
he has no experimental knowledge of divine things (and 
this he cannot have without the inspiration of the 
Spirit of God) he cannot understand ingly declare of 



2£l! 

those thing's, because in fact he is ignorant of the true 
and saving knowledge of them. If he speaks of them, 
he speaks without an understanding of what he says, 
and is only a rehearser of what others knew. The 
bible to such a professed minister, must in truth be a 
sealed book, for being given forth by the Spirit of God r 
and containing truths which are only to be savingljr 
known by the inspiration of the same Spirit ; by dis- 
claiming the necessary assistance of this key of David 
which opens and no man can shut, and shutteth and no 
man can open, he is disqualified for attaining to this true 
and saving knowledge. 

Suppose, in order to exemplify this case, we advert 
to the passage which I have before recited, wherein 
we are explicitly told what are the teachings of the 
grace of God, viz. that it teaches to deny ungodliness*. 
&c. can it be truly said that the mind is to become 
ascertained of these vices in such a manner as is here 
designed, without this grace inspires with a right 
understanding of their true character and offensive- 
ness in the sight of God, that Gonvictioa may be 
brought home to the offender? If the offender at- 
tends to this conviction, and becomes engaged in future 
to live soberly, &c. can any thing short of the inspira- 
tion of this grace give a true understanding of righteous- 
ness and godliness ? things entirely disconnected with 
his fallen nature, and beyond his comprehension as a 
mere man. 

In taking up the cross to the former, and cleaving to 
the latter, in both cases including a variety of duties, is 
it not essentially necessary that his mind should be both 
enlightened to see, and abilitated to do, according- 
to. the nature of those duties; and is not this inspirn- 

1.9* 



2£l 

• 

tion ? Trae Christian experience has alt? a] 
in the affirmative, and it is believed will continue «o to 
do It is marvellous that a man whose professed call- 
his inci to impress upon the 

minrfs of hi* hearers the necessity of believing in and 
religiously attending: to the teachings of this dmne 
g:ace. should have thought it i i disclaim any 

knowledge of that, to teach which ought to be his prin- 
cipal concern. Bit it i- not singular that being desti- 
tute i rue faith and concern he should endeavour 
to stigmatize, as enthusiasts, those who from the fear 
an 1 love of God, and a reverence for his light and 
for Lis truth, dare not imitate his example. 

Would it not be much more wise, for this professed 
minister to look more carefully at himself, and instead of 
g his utmost endeavours to injure his neighbours, 
to become engaged to see, on what foundation he is 
building, and what is the nature of his materials with 
which he is endeavouring to erect his superstructure. 
It may not be amiss to suggest for his consideration, 
whether instead of making the purity and spirituality 
of the gospel, as it is clearly defined by the holy pen- 
men, the standard of his faith and practice, he is not 
endeavouring to make religion too much of an outward 
thing, and to qualify this standard down to his own 
gross imperfections, if we may take his own word for 
it, or at best his veiy partial attainments. 

To think and to speak very carefully and humbly of 
ourselves, is certainly commendable ; but to attempt 
to level down the high calling of God, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord, to mean nothing more than what may 
le attained unto by the mere natural man, borders 
nearly upon profanity ; and the reader will see by 



£23 

perusing his work, that notwithstanding in some parts 
he professes to believe in the influences of the Spirit, 
yet when he defines what is the result, even of this be- 
lief, he explains it to be what attaches to every unre- 
generate son and daughter of fallen Adam, " miserable 
sinners.'" Our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 
has declared, that he came that we might have life, and 
that we might have it more abundantly, by which I 
think we must understand that the design of his coming 
was that the fear and love of God might predominate 
in our souls, that instead of that insensibility which is 
the consequence of continuing in sin, we might be 
quickened and made alive by the washing of regenera- 
tion, and the renevvings of the Holy Spirit. But Rand 
disclaims any knowledge of these renewings of the Spirit, 
and glories in that he M never was inspired." Of con- 
sequence he desires us to know that he is entirely unac- 
quainted with this regenerating process, as it is defined 
by the apostle, and under this veil we must suppose he 
claims the liberty which he takes, to deny the exist- 
ence of the thing, and has the boldness to pronounce 
upon it as error. 

It is difficult to find what the views of this man are, 
in all their points and bearings. He professes to be- 
lieve in the impotency of the natural man at one time, 
and even would fain make us erroneous, if he does not 
understand us to believe in the total depravity of hu- 
man nature ; at others he denies the work and opera- 
tion of that power and truth immediately upon the 
heart, whieh only can change it from a state of nature 
to a state of grace. Our hearts are thus wrought and 
operated upon, or they are not; if they are not, then 
we certainly must remain in a state of nature 3 which 



tu 

this writer contends is a state totally depraved; if thej 
are, must it not be by tbe revelation or inspiration of 
the divine Spirit, which only can make us new crea- 
tures? and if thus changed and regenerated, in what 
doe3 this change and regeneration consist? Does it 
not, in that we have new views and new ideas of things, 
ne T ^ joy3 and new griefs, new desires and new affec- 
tions. In short, that we are to live a new life ground- 
ed upon these changes. Must not that which produ- 
ces all this be inspiration and revelation, that inspira- 
tion of God which giveth a right understanding, and 
that revelation which reveals Christ in the soul. 

I have no hesitancy in saying that this is my be- 
lief, notwithstanding the labours of Rand, and his vaunt- 
ed opposition to the spirituality of the gospel dispen- 
sation. It is true that this writer in his 145th page 
has desired it to be remembered, that th« sentiment 
which he opposes is the universality of inspiration or 
revelation, with or without the scriptures. 

But in order to make out a tr«e compendium of his 
case, he should have added, that the sentiment which 
he had attempted to support, and been labtaring to 
enforce, is, that there is " no evidence from scripture 
that inspiration is to be expected in the present or 
any subsequent age," and that there are "additional 
reasons why we should not look for inspiration," for 
these are the terms with which he has headed his chap- 
ters 5th and 6th, p. 118^121 ; and indeed this is the 
cardinal point, as has been observed, of most of what 
he has written. If the question at issue was exclusive- 
ly whether the offers of divine grace were universal or 
partial, he might in that, as well as in other points, have 
left the system of the Quakers unassailed, and coatent- 



225 

ed himself with contending against an antagonist more 
worthy of his imaginary prowess : I mean the apostle 
Paul. Paul asserts, upon the character of being divine- 
ly inspired, u That the grace of God which brings sal- 
Tation has appeared unto all men.'" Rand, upon the 
character which he has assumed to himself of disclaim- 
ing all good inspiration, maintains that this grace has not 
appeared unto all men, nor yet to any man, if the apos- 
tle means that interposition of divine goodness which 
enlightens the dark heart of man, and in the first in- 
stance gives him aright understanding of kinase If, and of 
the things of God. The Quakers then, 3$ a part only 
of the common mass, might have been suffered to- re- 
main the quiet spectators of this presumptuous and 
unnatural strife; and no one could have doubted of 
the success of a cause which is so intimately coaq^^tcd 
with honour, glory, immortality, aiid eternal life ; for 
Paul, though he be dead, yet speaketh. 

It is also true that this writer, p. 92, admits that 
Christ is in Christians, but at the same time denies that 
he inspires them. How Christians become possessed 
of this inestimable and heavenly treasure in these 
earthen vessels, and know the power to be ©f God, and 
not of them, if revelation has ceased, is difficult to as- 
certain, seeing none can know who the Son is but the 
Father, and he or they to whom the Father shall re- 
veal him. To this import also is the testimony of the 
apostle : " It pleased God who called me by his grace 
to reveal his Son in me." And to admit that Christ is 
in the soul, and yet that he does not inspire it, is cer- 
tainly derogatory to *the efficiency and efficacy of his 
divine presence. It can only be necessary to name 



226 • 

such a position, to convince every sensible minJ of its 
manifest absurdity. 

It is unhappy for this writer, and for those with 
whom he may have an influence, that the grace of onr 
Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communioa 
of the Holy Spirit, find hut a very small p!ace in his 
system of religion. The grace of God does not appear 
to be regarded by him in the manner in which the in- 
spired writers speak of it. They not only bear testi- 
mony to its blessed existence, to its immediate teach- 
ings, to its being freely offered to all, but as the means 
by which salvation is brought to us. He denies this 
immediate teaching, this universality of its being offer- 
ed, and that a any portion of this grace is given unto 
is to dispose the heart to know and obey the Lord." 

We cannot then safely admit that there is any thing 
in his performance which intentionally ascribes salva- 
tion to its saving efficacy as the apostle does, when lie 
declares, " It is by grace ye are saved, through faith, 
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Not 
as the same apostle speaks of this divine grace, in rela« 
tion to himself, "By the grace of God, I am what 
I am." Indeed this writer has scarcely mentioned di- 
vine grace in the course of his 166 pages, but to con. 
tend against its existence and operation as the same is 
defined in the sacred writings; that is, if we may attach 
any consistency to the tenor of hi3 book, and es- 
pecially to some of his allegations upon this subject. 
Is not the quotation above recited sufficient evidence, 
of itself, to shew what his sentiments are upon this 
point? 

His system appears to be, if we may understand what 
it is, by what be has written, that since the promulgi 



22? 

tion of the holy scriptures, but more especially 4i siuce 
the canon of scripture has been completed, 1 ' that the 
bible, iu the hands of the priest, is the only means of 
salvation ; and tha,t beyond the limits of this administra- 
tion, there is nothing that can save. Inflated with this 
notion, as we must suppose, he attempts to define what 
the Most High can do. and what he cannot ; what he 
will do, and what he will not; and this with as great 
familiarity and precision as if the Almighty was just 
such an one as himself. We may indeed ask, how this 
man became so intimately acquainted with the mind of 
the Lord? and who has made him his counsellor? for 
be affects to inform us not only what " now is,"' but 
what * 4 will be to the end of time* 1 — see his p 122 and 
123. He of all men, one would suppose, is the most 
unqualified for this assumption : who denies, and labours 
so incessantly to prove, that the only medium which 
the scriptures assign, by which God, and the things of 
God, are to be known, is stricken out of existence, I 
mean inspiration and revelation. But what, if possi- 
ble, increases our astonishment, is, that he has had 
the boldness to do this, in direct contravention to the 
express declarations of the inspired penmen. Hovr 
dare he attempt to limit the Holy One of Israel, evea 
to the instrumentality of the holy scriptures, how- 
ever excellent they are in their place, when these sa- 
cred writing? are so replete with testimonies to the 
immediate operation of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. 

How could he say, c; That if God should give 
other revelations, he would in effect acknowledge 
the insufficiency of his word ; he would excuse the 
perver-eness of infidels, and the disobedient and impeiii- 
itent of every description." If he is candid, and means 



228 

'o moot the scnthnents of the Quakers in this place, he 
must he understood •<> say, that if God now by hi? grace 
or J I0I3* Spirit should convince the world of sin, of 
righteousness, and of judgment — should by the immedi- 
ate and powerful operation of this divine witness against 
all evil, in every breast, bring home to their hearP a 
true sense of their state and condition as it is in his sight, 
should enlighten their minds to see the excellent t\ ings 
that there are in his law, and in his condescending mercy 
and goodness vouchsafe to lead and guide them into all 
truth, agreeably to the predictions and promises of his 
son J*sus Christ our Lord, that u He would be pouring 
contempt upon his holy bible, would in effect acknowl- 
edge the insufficiency of his word, and would excuse 
the perverseness of infidels and the disobedient and im- 
penitent of every description." Strange and unaccount- 
able inferences, when we recollect that the writer who 
has attempted to make them wishes to be considered 
as acting under the character of a u pastor" of a Chris- 
tian church. Are we not obliged, however reluctant- 
ly, to consider such a writer as adverse to the consis- 
tency and excellency of the gospel dispensation, as the 
same is defined in the sacred writings? would it be car- 
rying our views of him and his sentiments too far. to 
consider them inimical to spiritual religion and worship; 
that religion, I mean, which is of the heart, and that 
worship which is in spirit and in truth. Does not the 
disposition of mind in which he appears to write, as I 
have shewn, and shall yet further shew, and the man- 
ner in which he treats the spirituality of divine truths, 
bear too obviously, the characteristic marks of such an 
enemy. It cannot aval* him to say, that in the pages 
above alluded to, or in any other part of his book, he 



mu)y means to oppose the revelation of new and ad- 
ditional doctrines, because he cannot be ignorant, from 
his own admissions, that the society against which he 
was writing, disclaim any such thing or any doctrines 
which are not contained in the holy scriptures. And 
knowing this an attempt to palm the contrary upon his 
readers, would not help his case, And, besides, it is 
the very essence of all his labours to shew, that this 
people are erroneous and enthusiastic^!, because they 
believe and maintain that, " No man can know who 
the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will 
reveal him." 

it is a pity, it is even more, it is a reproach to the 
cause of Christianity, for a professed minister of the 
religion of Jesus Christ, let his denomination be what 
it ; >ay, to appear in an act of hostility to the vital prin- 
ciple of this divine religion, and to attempt to misrep- 
sent and abuse his neighbours, and fellow professors, 
because their tenets are more consistent with the pu- 
rity and spirituality of the gospel dispensation than his 
own. 

The point which he labours through so many pages 
of his book to prove, that we cannot be inspired unless 
we work miracles, is only trifling with his readers, it is 
an old worn-out argument, which was attempted to-be 
used against the protestant reformers who held to the 
inspiration of the Spirit, as I have before shewn; which 
was by them answered by saying, that the truths winch 
this inspiration was designed to bring io their remem- 
brance, and to impress upon their minds, have 
been confirmed by miracles, and it is a sufficient an- 
swer now. 

It has already been stated, that the Society of Friend* j 
20 



2*0 

do fully believe in the holy scriptures : that they have 
jriven, and continue lo give, the most plenary proof of 
this belief, by their lives and practices, by their prin- 
ciples, testimonies, and discipline ; but not in opposition 
to the continuation of the love of God, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord, immediately revealed to our souls. 
They are bold in asserting the former, and they have 
always uniformly borne testimony to the condescend- 
ing goodness of infinite mercy in the latter. It is this 
people, whom this writer has selected, as fit subjects of 
Lis unjust censure. But do they merit the abuse, mis- 
representations and calumnies which he has so liberal- 
ly bestowed upon them ? Only hear him again for a 
moment. " Their God is all mercy ;" that is, that the 
society of Friends do not admit that justice is one of 
the divine attributes. "Their moral law, what is right 
in their own eyes," that is, that we refuse obedience 
to the moral law, as contained in the Old and New 
Testaments. u Themselves imperfect and liable to 
err, but not ruined sinners ;" that is, that we do not ad- 
mit the prevalency of evil, and pray for the forgiveness 
of our sins. u Their saviour a mere reformer ;" that 
is, that we deny the divinity of Christ. " Their scrip- 
tures of equal authority with the writings of Fox. Penn 
and Barclay, but not equal to their own imaginations ff 
that is that we deny the divine authority of the holy 
scriptures. " Their regeneration an improvement of 
good principles ;" that is, that we do not acknowledge 
the necessity of repentance, sanctification, and redemp- 
tion. " Their justification feeling persuaded that they 
are right ;" that is that we do not regard the coming, 
life death, resurrection, ascension and mediation of Je- 
us Christ, M Who died for our offences^ and rose again 



231 

for our justification." "Their obligations just according' 
to the moving of their passions ;" that is, we are whol- 
ly under the government of our selfish passions and 
propensities, and have cast the fear of God behind our 
backs. " Their worship, thanking God they are not as 
other men ;" that is, that self complacency has such an 
ascendency in the minds of the Quakers, that they wor- 
ship this idol, rather than God. " Their fruit I leave 
to the observation of those who know them." Is not 
the meaning of what is apparently intended to be insin- 
uated here, that as the fruit is always according to the 
tree, those who are acquainted with the Quakers, know 
that their lives and conduct are in accordance with this 
horrid description of their tenets? u And their reward 
with the judge of the living and the dead at his appear- 
ing and kingdom." It is not easy to make less of this 
reference, at the close of this black catalogue, than that 
for all this alledged infidelity and wickedness, both in 
principle and practice, the irrevocable doom which 
awaits the Quakers is, that they shall be miserable tor- 
ever. 

This copious display of this man's veracity, charity 
and Christianity, this exemplification of his loving his 
neighbours as himself, and of his qualification to be a 
teacher of the doctrines of the bible, is to be found in 
one group, in his 54th page. There is also an abund- 
ance of the same kind, by whatever name it may be 
called, which graces, as he appears to view it, his nu- 
merous pages, and that almost from one end of his book 
to the other. We must however, make one exception 
to this sweeping clause ; for it is this same writer, who 
in his 10th page, tell us with the semblance of meek- 
Bess and sanctity, " That he had rather bless than re- 



232 

vile." That his M object in writing is rather to search 
for truth, than to attack an opponent, to convince rath- 
er than to reproach.'' 

It cannot be amiss to present this writer to himself, 
and to the public, in so<ne of his various shapes and 
trausformations. Neither can it be a breach of charity 
to express our very sincere hope, that it will not be 
with him, as was the case of the natural man, of whom 
we read, who on beholding himself in the mirror, turn- 
ed aside, and straightway forgot what manner of man 
he was. 

Our blessed Loid is very severe upon a disposition 
that delights in finding fault with others, when the 
true difficulty is, that there is a defect in the vision of 
the fault finder. His directions in such cases are still 
obligatory ; and if we can show that the situation of 
this writer brings him within the purview o{ such a 
described case, the injunction applies to him as the 
causeless originator of this controversy, id proportion 
to the degree in which he is justly implicated. The 
text stands thus : " And why beholdest thou the mote 
which is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the 
beam that is in thine own eye. Or how wilt thou say 
to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine 
eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye. Thou 
hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine *wn eye, 
and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out 
of thy brother's eye. 55 

This writer takes great liberty with others, of course 
he cannot complain if liberty is taken with him. In- 
deed it is our duty, in justice to ©urielves, to prevent 
bis abuse and misrepresentations from having an undue 
influence. This is to be done, firstly, in shewing thai 



he has had no just cause of complaint; and secondly, 
that in the making- of his complaint, such as it is, he 
appears not to be in a capacity rightly to understand 
whereof he complains. In other words that he has a 
vitiated or obstructed vision. He professes -that the 
scriptures are his rule, by which his life aid principles 
are to be tested ; and to that excellent rule we 
submit his case. But is it not extraordinary, iC his 
case has already appeared to be such, and shall further 
appear to be so, that he should volunteer himself a pro- 
fessed champion to redress what he alledges are the 
wrongs of the bible, and make its defence the title of 
hi- book ; and at the same time turn his back upon the 
most important doctrines which it contains, and en- 
deavour to make out his creed in defiance of some of its 
most explicit precepts and commands. 

Jesus Christ has told us, that without him we can do 
DOthing. We are also told in the scriptures that God 
first loved us before we loved him. The apostle in his 
first epistle to the Corinthians appears to be fervently 
engaged to impress upon the minds of that people, that 
man is under the absolute necessity of the imme- 
diate help and influence of the Holy Spirit, in order 
even to understand divine truths, and in a very clear 
and cogent manner thus reasons upon the subject : 
"For what man knoweth the things of a man save the 
spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of God 
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." Again " But 
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
God for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he 
know them because they are spiritually discerned."" 
But this writer in his 82d page, notwithstanding these 
explicit testimonies of Christ, and his apostle, and ma*>y 
20* 



I I 

roore w[ luced, clear! 

the natural man can recent the 

Spirit of God, that there is nothing in those truths that 
are revealed and necessary to be known, but what the 
minds of jen are fully capable of m :og; 

for. says he. " Every man (except i! - un- 

derstanj;-, ;. - reason, a - natural conscien«> 

which natural facuiti's. a- I understand him he m 
to assert, are competent to the knowledge of di 
things, even the deep thing's of God. That it is an er- 
ror in the Quaker 3 against which he vritet, M that God 
has cr:ven his Spirit, or a pi ; hi? grace, to fi'n\ 

the heart to know and ubey birn " Is not this very- 
extraordinary, Christian reader ? Is it not in opposition 
both to the sacred writing- and to the good experience 
of every true believer, and humble follower ot Jesus 
Christ ? Who could have believed, had they - 
it in this mans book, that any Christian professor, leav- 
ing bis clerical character unmenuoned. woui I have de- 
liberately penned and promulgated that 4 - It is an ei 
to believe that God has given of Lis Spirit, or a portion 
of his arace. to dispose the heart to know an 1 obey 
him.** Comment cannot be necessary to convince us 
that these sentiments are not the fruits which sp< 
from a right understanding and true religions sensibili- 
ty. But. as advocates for the truth as ii h in Jesus, for 
the goodness of God thus abused, we are bound to be- 
lieve and to declare that they can only proceed from 
a mind yet enveloped in darkness and error. But to 
proceed, this writer i* v-ry strennons in insisting that 
the scriptures are to be taken literally, when he think? 
that the htera! const: »sl serre his purp 

while on of her occasions be takes s:rea 



235 

able liberty in adding to, altering or doing away, botlt 
the obvious meaning, and the terms of the text, if these 
terms or this meaning stand in his way, or do not ac- 
cord with his views. He contends that baptizing with 
water is meant, Matt, xxviit although to make out his 
case he is obliged to add water to the text, thus taking 
for granted the entire subject in dispute ; but at the 
same time denies that he ought as a professed minister 
of Jesus Christ to preach freely, when Christ has com- 
manded his ministers so to do ; and thus will venture, 
for the sake of filthy lucre, to disobey oar Lord's com- 
mands, even when acting as his professed ambassador. 
If he alledges, as some others have done, that he has 
not received freely, and therefore is not ebliged to 
dispense gratuitously, it may be an argument in his 
favour as it respects his contract with his employers ; 
but it will also prove that he has not his call and com- 
mission to preach from the head of the church. The 
holy scriptures maintain that Christ died for all, that he 
gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due 
time, that he willeth that all should come to the know- 
ledge of the truth and be saved. But this writer holds 
that millions of human beings are doomed to eternal 
misery, and that when they have no means to help 
themselves or by which they might be helped. Nay 
that such means and such help is and has been with- 
held. And that God who has proclaimed himself 
to be a long suffering God* abundant in kindness and 
truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin ; a God 
who is plenteous in mercy and redemption, punishes 
these miserable beings when they are just such as they 
are, by his ordination and decree ; at least, as has been 
saidj that from these he has withheld the only meaqs 



23S 

by which they ronld be saved. Jesus Christ has com- 
manded his followers not to swear at all, neither by 
heaven, for thi* is GocVs throne, nor yet by the earth, 
for this is his footstool; hot to let tlieir communication 
be yea, yea, and nay, nay ; declaring that whatsoever 
is more than this cometh of evil. Yet Rand, according 
to his principles, will swear by the most holy name of 
God in any trivial matter wherein he may be called 
upon to testify, and says the Quakers have needless 
scruples concerning oaths. Our blessed Lord also haa 
expressly enjoined upon those who would be his disci- 
ples, not only to love one another, but to love their 
enemies, to do good to them who hate them, if they 
would be the children of his father who is in heaven. 
But this writer hesitates not to deny the authority 
of this command, and declines trusting to the pro- 
tection of the Lord's government, but in effect says, 
and that as a professed minister of the same Lord and 
master, that all the obligation which he will admit that 
this injunction has a right to enforce is, that it may 
prevent him from going abroad in search of enemies ; 
but if they come where he is, he will make flesh his 
arm, and if it is in his power, utterly destroy them. 
For he says in his late publication that defensive war 
is right and just, p. II. The same divine lawgiver 
has commanded us to yield perfect obedience to his 
commands in all things, and in a very especial manner, 
on condition of his favour, to forsake sin, and become 
cleansed from its defilement ; promising the assistance 
of his grace and good Spirit, and assuring of us, that, 
in every exigency this provision will be sufficient for 
us, through faith and obedience to what it teacheth. 
But Rand, also in the capacity of bis professed minister. 



i>37 

preaches up the impossibility of obeying his Lord's 
commands, denying 1 the efficacy or application of this 
provision, and would fain make us believe that he whom 
he calb Lord i9 an austere man and a hard master, 
wanting to reap where he has not sowed, and to gather 
where he has not strewed. For although he enjoins a 
perfection of obedience in his fear, it is impossible with 
all the aid w T hich he hath given to us to comply with 
this condition of receiving his blessing. 
- Christian reader, it would be wearisome to follow 
this pretended champion of the bible, through all his 
inconsistency and opposition to its^acred truths, enough 
has been done, it is presumed, to shew his unworthi- 
ness for the task which he has assumed. Enough most 
certainly to shew, that a beam is in his eye, and that it 
will be difficult for him, even as far as he has now gene, 
to escape the character pronounced by unerring wis* 
dom upon such as neglect to inspect into their own 
proper standing, and to do their own necessary business 
and who from detracting motives meddle with the con* 
cerns of others, under whatever feigned pretence. 

I sincerely wish him unfeigned repentance, and ari 
acknowledgment to the truth as it is in Jesus ; and 
that the Lord may have mercy upon him, 



INDEX. 



PART I. 

CHIP. PAGE. 

I. Miscellaneous Remarks on the First and Second 

chapters of the Vindication 6 

II. Remarks on Water Baptism 9 
HI. Remarks on the "Lord's Supper" and "Holy 

Sabbath" 15 
IV. Remarks on the subjects of Human Depravity, the 

Incarnation of Christ, and his Atonement 16 

V. Remarks on Rand's " General View" 70 

VI. On Rand's " Concluding Address" 88 

PART IL 

7. Rand's Admission? to the point at issue ; Gener .1 

Remarks on his First Chapter 92 

II. Whether the Scriptures are the " Word of God" 100 

HI. Remarks on Rand's Third Chapter, which he calls 
u Reasoning for the Inferiority of the Scrip- 
tures, and in favour of New Revelations ex- 
amined" 117 

IV. Considerations on the contents of Rand's Fourth 
Chapter, of " "What is sufficient evidence that 
a man is inspired to satisfy himself; to cort- 
vince others ; and to accredit his message 
with succeeding generations ? All necessary 
evidence for the Inspiration of the sacred 
writers." 164 

V. Remarks on Rand's Fifth Chapter 176 

VI. Rand's Sixth Chapter, entitled " Additional Rea- 
sons why we should not look for Inspiration," 
examined 179 

V1T. Remarks on Rand's Seventh Chapter, called 

u Some Pretended Revelations examined" 186 

VIII. Rand's Eighth Chapter, entitled " The state of 
the heathen evinces that Inspiration does not 
with them supply the want of the Scriptures," 
examined 1&9 

IX. Conclusion 214 



The following extract from the late Governor Liv- 
ingston's Observations, published in the American 
Museum of 1790, vol. 8, p. 255, was intended to have 
been inserted as a counter balance to Cotton Mather 
and Asa Rounds' aspersions of the character of 
George Fox, but was mislaid when this book was 
printed. It being since recovered, is here inserted 
for the same purpose. " For, as to my own part, I 
doubt not that the Gospel may be preached, and 
successfully preached, without this immense appara- 
tus of human erudition ; an apparatus that hath but 
too often proved the unhappy means of inflating with 
literary pride, and terminated in that wisdom " by 
which the world knew not God ;" while it arrogantly 
despised, as " the foolishness of preaching," that by 
which it pleased God to save them that believe. 
Indeed I know it may, because I know it has been, 
and still is. The apostles had not this kind of pre- 
paration. Except St. Paul, they were all illiterate 
fishermen or mechanics ; and George Fox alone has, 
without human learning, done more towards the res- 
toration of real, primitive, unadulterated Christianity, 
and the extirpation ot priestcraft, superstition and 
ridiculous unavailing rites and ceremonies, than any 
other reformer in Protestant Christendom, has with 
it. But the apostles and primitive evangelists were, 
you say, in preaching the Gospel, illuminated and 
directed by the Holy Spirit ; and therefore wanted 
not the assistance of systematic codes, and folio vol- 
umes of cabalistical criticisms They were so ; and 
who dare, in modern times, or at any time, preach 
that same Gospel witnout the like illumination and 
direction : if, without it, he pretends to preach any 
Gospel, I am sure it would be a Gospel of his own 
making, or that of his scholastic preceptors.^ 



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